Sunday School
by LemonStar
Summary: ..Daryl/Beth.. AU - no zombies. Everyone gets lonely, she reminds herself. It comes and goes and it's nothing to dwell on. And her always watching Daryl Dixon – anticipating seeing him every Sunday – is just because she's lonely. She knows it doesn't mean anything. How can it? He barely looks at her, let alone talks to her.
1. Chapter 1

**I was nervous to post this and was prepared to just leave it on my stick drive for all time and never share it. I didn't want people to think I was shoving religion down their throats, but the Greene family is a religious one - no hiding that on the show - so Beth is a religious character and this idea was in my head and I just wanted to share it.**

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…

 _"_ _All this took place to fulfill with the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will him Immanuel' – which means 'God with us'."_

Beth Greene smiles as she looks at the twelve children sitting on the floor in front of her, ranging from ages four to six. They are all listening. She closes the book and rests it in her lap.

"Think about a time someone made a promise to you and kept that promise," Beth continues. "When we're all honest and keep our promises to one another, we feel closer to our friends and family. We feel _good_. We know we can trust them to do what they say and not disappoint us, and they know the same about us. That's how God wants us to trust him. God wants us to read the Bible and see all the ways he's kept his promises to us. Jesus fulfilled God's promise."

Beth pauses, smiling at them.

"So today, before we leave one another for another week, how about we make promise cards? We'll go back to our tables and on construction paper, we write down one promise. God promised to be with you. Think of a promise you can make to someone that will help that person. This promise can be to someone in your family or to a friend. I want you to write "Dear" and the person's name and your promise to them. How does that sound?"

"Yay!" Most of the kids eagerly agree and Beth laughs as they all stand up from the carpet and hurry back to their tables where Beth has already placed construction paper and buckets of markers on each one.

She shows them how to fold the construction paper like a card and then all of the kids get to work.

Beth smiles as she walks around the tables, keeping an eye on what the children are doing, sometimes reading the promises they are making.

Trevor is promising his best friend that he'll always share his box of Cracker Jacks with him. Natalie is promising her mommy that she promises to put her clothes into the hamper each night after she changes into her pajamas.

"I like that one, Natalie," Beth smiles at the little girl and the girl beams in response.

Millie Dixon is sitting in her usual chair at the end of the table and is bent over her piece of paper, the tip of her tongue stuck out at the corner of her mouth as if in deep thought.

Beth can't help, but stop and see what she is writing.

In green marker, in her childish scrawl, she has written "I promise to thank my uncle every week" and then has begun to decorate the rest of the card in things she can't identify.

"That's a wonderful promise to make, Millie," Beth says and Millie lifts her head to smile at her.

"Uncle Daryl takes me every Saturday to see my daddy and I don't thank him," Millie says. "I want to start thankin' him 'cause it's a really far drive, but he always takes me."

"I'm sure your uncle likes seeing your daddy, too," Beth thinks and Millie nods.

"They fight sometimes, but Uncle Daryl always takes me no matter what."

Beth keeps smiling and she nods.

It's a small Southern town and everyone knows that Millie Dixon's daddy, Merle Dixon, had been in prison for six years now – all of Millie's life, getting sentenced and locked up before she was even born – and her mom, Jenny, works all hours at the diner and Daryl Dixon, Merle's younger brother, has stepped into the role as father for his niece.

He's the one who drops her off for Sunday school each week and picks her up again.

"And what are these?" Beth asks, pointing to the various black objects drawn around her words.

"Motorcycles," Millie states, still smiling. "Uncle Daryl loves motorcycles."

…

Daryl Dixon definitely does love motorcycles.

He picks his niece up each week on one, rumbling into the back parking lot behind the church and waiting there idly. The other children, their parents are in service and they come to pick their children up before heading to their vehicles in the front lot, but in the two years Millie has been attending Sunday school with Beth, Daryl has never attended Sunday service.

Beth admits that sometimes, she'll stand in the back door and watch Millie go when her Uncle Daryl arrives and Beth tells herself that she is _only_ making sure that Millie gets to him alright.

It's not because Daryl Dixon is a ridiculously handsome man in that way that people don't realize at first.

But Beth has always realized.

The first time she saw him, two years earlier when Millie was four and first stepped into her Sunday school classroom, her hand tucked into her uncle's, it felt like her heart had thrown up right then and there in her chest when her eyes met with his.

Millie had been a shy girl then, practically hiding behind Daryl's thigh and not letting go of his hand.

"'s was her mom's idea to sign her up," Daryl had felt the need to explain. "Jenny's the kind who believes in all this stuff."

Beth just looked at him and she then saw his ears turn pink.

"Not that there's anythin' wrong with believin' in it," he stuttered and Beth forgot about being a little insulted because he looked so apologetic right then. And completely _adorable_.

Can a man his age still be considered adorable?

"Anyway," Daryl continued and cleared his throat. "Her mom, Jenny, works every Sunday at the diner for the breakfast rush so I told her that I can drop and pick Millie up every week."

"That's very nice of you," Beth had finally been able to see, tearing her eyes away from Daryl's face – at his tanned skin and watery blue eyes and the tiniest scar over one of his eyebrows – and looked down to the little girl. Beth knelt down, bringing herself to Millie's eye. Millie looked like Beth knew her mom, Jenny, to look like: red hair and green eyes and just about as pale as Beth's own skin. "We're going to have so much fun, Millie. I promise. Do you like stickers?"

Millie hadn't said anything, but had nodded her head slowly.

Beth had smiled and turning behind her to take a sheet from off her desk, she then gently applied a sticker of a cross onto Millie's cheek and the girl had lifted her fingertips up to touch it and then had looked to Beth, smiling a small smile. Beth's smile had only grown.

Beth got back to her feet and looked to Daryl, his eyes already steady on her. She felt like he was studying her. He was definitely staring at her; like she was something he had to figure out.

Her heart decided to throw up a little bit more.

"She'll be fine," Beth had promised.

"Don't doubt that," he had said and then had bent down to scoop his niece up into his arms. "'member what we talked about?"

Millie had nodded, staring at her uncle, still touching the cross sticker on her cheek. "No cursin'."

"'s right," Daryl gave a nod and then gave her a kiss on her cheek – the one without the sticker – and Beth had pursed her lips together to keep from smiling as Daryl put Millie back down on her feet.

And Millie's been with her in Sunday school ever since. And except for the couple occasions when Jenny Dixon has been able to do drop-off and pickup with her daughter, it's always Daryl, waiting for his niece on that darn motorcycle of his, wearing jeans and if the weather permits, a tee-shirt that shows his muscular, tanned arms so nicely.

"Have a wonderful week, Millie," Beth smiles to her.

"Bye, Ms. Greene!" Millie gives her a happy smile and eager wave before she hurries down the steps and runs across the gravel lot to where Daryl is waiting for her.

He swings off the bike and Beth can't hear her clearly, but Millie is obviously explaining the promise card as she waves it for Daryl to take. And he does, opening it and reading what Millie has written. Daryl is quiet for a moment, staring down at the words, and he then looks to Millie. He picks the girl up and hugs her tightly and Beth has no idea what he whispers to her, but whatever it does, it makes Millie laugh.

Beth tells herself not to watch. She always seems to watch – every week – and every week, she is left standing there, feeling like perhaps she is the most pathetic person in the world.

Daryl helps Millie into the seat on the back of the motorcycle, buckling her in tight and then helping set the pink motorcycle helmet onto her head, securing that on as well. He then takes the card, folding it as carefully as he can before slipping it into the back pocket of his jeans.

He then turns his head and Beth is still standing in the doorway, looking at him.

She yells at herself, wondering why she hadn't gone back inside a minute earlier before he noticed her.

Daryl then gives her a slight head nod and Beth does her best to give him a smile even though her stomach is rolling all over and she can't get it to stop. And even after Daryl roars away, Beth finds that she can't leave the doorway, staring at the cloud of dust he's left behind.

…

White Hill, Georgia isn't some massive, booming metropolis. At the most, they have two-thousand people living there, but the White Hill Baptist Church has a fairly large congregation, serving the many people who live in the surrounding rural areas. Most people would think living in the absolute smackdab of nowhere wouldn't be a good thing. The Pastor of White Hill Baptist Church does not share that sentiment.

Beth graduates from University of Georgia with her degree in Primary Education, but even then, she has absolutely no idea what to do. Obviously, teach, but the question is where? Does she want to move away to somewhere new – somewhere out of Georgia – or does she want to move back to White Hill, where she's lived her whole life and the place she has missed so much over the past four years of being away?

Her sister, Maggie, doesn't understand the decision. Maggie – who got out of White Hill practically the second her high school diploma was in her fist.

Her boyfriend from college, Zach, doesn't understand the decision. Zach – who was so sweet, it was ridiculous, but who was also from Charlotte and could never imagine _not_ living in a big city.

Her roommate for all four years of school, Amy, doesn't understand the decision. Amy – who was going to New York City to make it as a singer. And she was going to make it, damn it, and she had just thought that Beth would come with her.

Beth graduates and moves back to White Hill the next week – back into her old bedroom in the sprawling white Green family farmhouse that has been in the family for generations and her parents can't be happier. But as Beth unpacks her belongings, she tries to think of what she is going to do next.

Pastor Douglas is the one to approach her – though Beth thinks it might have been her daddy who had told the man to do so. White Hill Baptist is in desperate need of a new Youth Coordinator and would Beth be doing him the greatest favor by accepting the position?

"What happened to the old Youth Coordinator?" Beth asks though she already knows her answer.

"Went to Mardi Gras and decided not to come back," Pastor Douglas says – and that's all he says.

"Yes, I would love this job. Thank you, Pastor Douglas," she smiles gratefully and Pastor Douglas gives her that wide, warm grin of his before engulfing her in a hug.

And that's how Beth finds herself here now.

Sunday school teacher; leader of the various youth groups and all of the activities they do throughout the year; bible study for kids on Monday and Wednesday nights.

It's not _exactly_ the kind of teaching she imagined herself doing and it's not some high-paying job, but she doesn't need much. She survived for four years of college on Ramen noodles and apples and she still lives at home. She really doesn't have expenses.

And really, it feels so good to be back home. In White Hill. On the farm. In the church.

For four years of college, she lived, doing what she thought she had to do because she's watched too many television shows and movies of kids in college and Beth thought she had to be just like them.

She has missed all of this and hadn't even admitted it to herself until she found herself back.

She's happy. She's content. There's not a single thing in her life that she actually needs and that makes her more blessed than so many other people.

But sometimes…

Sometimes, she _does_ get lonely. For someone who's not her parents or for someone not from the church.

Everyone gets lonely, she reminds herself. It comes and goes and it's nothing to dwell on. And her always watching Daryl Dixon – anticipating seeing him every Sunday – is just because she's lonely.

She knows it doesn't mean anything. How can it? He barely looks at her, let alone talks to her.

In college, Beth had always been so embarrassed for growing up so religious. None of the kids she hung around with were the same, so Beth hid that part of herself, almost feeling embarrassed for that. And it's one of the things she's still ashamed of to this day.

Daryl Dixon isn't religious. Not in the least. Beth knows that. But she's not going to hide the fact that she is. She's never going to hide anything about herself ever again.

…

Class has run a bit late this morning. They had read the passage of Noah and the Ark and that's always a tricky story to teach to children so young.

"Did Noah not care about the dinosaurs? Is that why dinosaurs aren't around anymore?"

"What'd they do with all of the poo?"

" _Every_ animal? Every single animal? There's a billion different kinds of insects alone."

"What about the unicorns, Ms. Greene?"

Sunday service is finished and parents are crowded in the doorway to the classroom, listening and smiling and chuckling at how adorable their children are. Beth ends class as quickly as they can because some questions, she is never able to answer and sometimes, the kids want more than "faith" as an answer.

"Remember!" Beth calls out over the chatter. "The same God who decided that this world needs sunsets and sunrises and chocolate cake decided that this world needs you too!"

Beth says it after each class and the parents just absolutely love it and it always makes the kids smile.

"Bye, Ms. Greene!"

Beth turns just in time to see Millie running out the back door. "Bye, Millie!"

With the classroom empty now, Beth begins cleaning up from that morning's craft project.

Someone clears their throat and she jumps, startled, spinning towards the sound.

Daryl Dixon is standing in the back door and he visibly blushes and almost winces. "Sorry. I was tryin' to _not_ scare you," he says.

"It's alright," Beth smiles and shakes her head even though her heart is still racing and she smooths her hands down her skirt, trying to stop feeling nervous. "Did Millie forget something?"

"Jenny and me got a favor to ask," Daryl says and he's looking as nervous as Beth is still feeling.

"Of course," she doesn't hesitate.

"So my brother, Millie's dad, Merle, he's locked up over in Georgia Correctional," Daryl begins.

Beth nods and doesn't interrupt.

"Sure you know that already. Stupid shit got locked up for cookin' up meth. Anyway," Daryl clears his throat and his eyes have been staring down at the carpet, but now he lifts them to look at her.

Beth wishes he hadn't done that.

She has always had crushes on appropriately aged males. Jimmy in high school and Zach in college. There is her life-long crush on Steve McQueen, but he's _Steve McQueen_ and that crush is always going to be there. Besides some actor she was never going to meet – especially since Steve McQueen is dead – she's always liked boys who are around her age.

And that is another thing. Boys. Always boys because she's always been a girl. But now, she's an adult. Twenty-four years old and a young woman and she looks at Daryl Dixon and he is such a _man_ and Beth has no idea how to act around him. What to say or what to do, she doesn't know and she wishes that she could call Maggie and ask her, but Maggie's in California right now and they just aren't as close as they used to be.

Beth knows they both agree – without either actually admitting it out loud – that they just don't have that much in common at all anymore. Saying it out loud just makes their distance too real.

"Merle's up for parole and his hearing is actually next Sunday. Jenny doesn't want Millie to come – just in case it doesn't go through – and Millie loves coming here, but we don't have a way of getting her here…"

"I can pick her up," Beth offers, hoping that that's what he's trying to get at. She doesn't want to assume.

Daryl looks pleasantly surprised though and somehow, the look just makes him even more handsome. Beth almost wants to scowl at that. The last thing this man needs is to look _more_ handsome.

"You don't mind?" Daryl makes sure.

"Absolutely not," Beth says and gives him a little smile. "I'd be more than happy to do it."

"Me and Jenny can't thank you enough." Daryl reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crinkled piece of paper, taking one step closer to her for her to take it. She does. "Jenny's address. We're leavin' Sunday mornin' so Millie won't be on her own for that long. We'd jus' drop her off here beforehand, but we're leavin' too early… And actually, the girl's pretty good at takin' care of herself."

Beth smiles easier. "I believe that."

Daryl's lips twitch as if he wants to smile at that, too. "Thanks again, Ms. Greene. Millie talks 'bout your class all the time and I know me and her mom wouldn' want her to miss it."

"It's no problem, Mr. Dixon," Beth assures him. "I love having Millie in class and would hate for her to miss one, too."

Daryl looks at her for a moment and she can't read his expression at all so she has no idea what he's thinking when he looks at her. What does he see when he looks at her? Beth knows what she sees. She sees a man with his longish dark hair and the scruff on his chin, a few sprouts of grey, and his biceps and she feels like such a little girl in front of him with her dress and cardigan, tights and ballet flats.

"I just don' wanna inconvenience you or anythin'. I'd ask my girlfriend, but Millie… well, Millie don't like her all that much so I'm always keepin' em separated."

 _Girlfriend_.

The word echoes in Beth's mind like a cymbal crash.

Daryl says something else – Beth thinks it's a parting – and then he turns and heads out the door again, but Beth seems unable to move, standing in the middle of her empty classroom.

Girlfriend. She repeats the word to herself, not able to stop herself from doing so; not able to stop the rush of complete and utter disappointment she feels. She tries to remind herself though. She doesn't even know him. There's absolutely no reason for her to feel disappointment that Daryl has a girlfriend. And feeling so just reminds her that she truly is pathetic and lonely and… pathetic.

…

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 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to comment. Not sure how long this one is going to be. I'm imagining a short story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The response to the first chapter? No words except it completely blew me away. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.**

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…

Jenny Dixon lives in a trailer in the trailer park just on the outskirts of White Hill and Beth smiles as she pulls to a stop in front of the one which has the address that matches the address Daryl has given her. There are lilac bushes planted all alongside the front and as Beth gets out of the car, she can smell their scent sweetly wafting into the air and she hears the buzzing of fat bumblebees flying around the flowers.

Beth knows Jenny Dixon works as many hours at the diner as she can get, but the woman also finds the time to keep her trailer maintained and actually, it's one of the nicest trailers in the park. Painted white with a purple door to match the lilacs and there is a southern oak tree planted nearby, providing shade over most of the small square patch of front yard.

She climbs the steps and she looks at the trailer across from Jenny and Millie's. There is a little wooden porch built onto the front of it and there is currently a woman wearing a skimpy bikini, tanning herself. At another trailer, there is a man standing at a car, the front hood thrown up, and he's leaning over the engine. Two older kids are tossing one another a Frisbee, laughing over a crude joke that one has just told and Beth is going to pretend that she hasn't heard.

"Ms. Greene, I need your help!" Millie swings the door open before Beth even has a chance to knock.

"What's wrong?" Beth asks as she pulls open the screen door and steps inside though she can immediately see the problem. Millie's hair is looking as tangled as a bird's nest this morning.

"I told mommy that I didn't need her to do my hair before she left," Millie says and she looks like she's seconds away from bursting into tears.

"We'll fix it," Beth swiftly promises her. "Let's get a comb."

Jenny and Millie live in a double-wide trailer so each have their own small bedroom. After Millie makes a detour into the bathroom, she guides Beth into the bedroom that is hers.

The walls are painted the faintest shade of purple, they almost seem white and the only reason Beth can tell that they are actually purple is the sun coming in through the open window blinds. Some of the pictures she has colored in Sunday school are taped to the walls. There are no stray toys scattered on the carpet and all of her toys and stuffed animals are lined neatly on the shelf she has, but her bed is still unmade and Beth smiles upon seeing that the little girl has bumblebee bed sheets.

She also sees that there are two framed photographs on the nightstand next to the bed and Beth can't help, but lean down to get a closer look of them. One is of Millie with her mom and Daryl and a man Beth assumes is her dad, Merle. They are in front of a window and Merle is the one wearing a bright orange jumpsuit. Beth assumes that this was taken in the prison's visiting room.

Merle is on a knee at Millie's side, one arm around her, holding her close, and his other arm is around Jenny's waist as she stands on the other side of her husband. And Daryl is standing on the other side of Millie, his arm around the little girl as well. Millie and Merle are both smiling broadly – the girl definitely gets her smile from her daddy – Jenny is giving a small, shy, but happy smile and it almost looks like Daryl isn't smiling at all, but Beth can detect the slightest upward twist at the corners of his mouth.

Beth makes sure her eyes don't linger on the man.

The second picture is of just of Millie and Merle, Merle still kneeling beside her and both of his arms around his daughter, hugging her close, grinning widely and proudly, and Millie looks as if the picture has captured her right in the middle of a laugh.

The picture makes Beth smile.

"That's my daddy," Millie says, coming up beside Beth, and she points to Merle in the pictures.

"I can tell," Beth smiles at her. "You have his smile."

And Millie's response to that is to give a smile so happy, it makes Beth's heart churn in her chest.

Hershel Greene has always been such a presence in Beth's life, from the moment she was born to the moment she graduated from college and moved back home, Beth can't imagine what it would be like, going through a day without talking with him. Merle has been locked up since before Millie was born and Millie only gets to see her dad once a week, for just an hour or two.

She knows Millie has Daryl and he is such a good uncle – so active in his niece's life, at least from what Beth can tell in the few sparse minutes she sees the two together each Sunday at Sunday school – but it's obvious to Beth, just through two pictures, that Millie absolutely loves her dad and Merle absolutely loves his daughter. Beth can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be on both of them. And on Jenny, too.

"He got ten years so four more to go," Millie says with a sigh.

Beth says a silent prayer that she hopes Merle is granted parole today.

She stands up straight and smiles down at Millie. "Let's do something with your hair," she says and Millie's brief sadness seems to be wiped away as she gives Beth a smile and a nod, handing over the comb.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Millie stands between her legs, presenting her with her back, and as slowly and gently as she can, Beth begins working the comb through the tangles.

"I've always wanted curly hair like this and it's such a beautiful shade of red," Beth comments.

"I hate it," Millie huffs and Beth laughs a little.

"It's usually like that. We always seem to want something that someone else has while the person who has it doesn't seem to want it at all."

Millie is quiet, thinking that through. "I'd give you my curly hair if I could, Ms. Greene."

"Thank you, sweetie," Beth smiles at that, feeling warm and full.

Millie is quiet for a moment and Beth finds herself humming as she combs through the tangles. She has imagined herself doing this before – combing the hair of her daughter, experimenting with styles and humming songs to her. Beth has learned that its little things like this that kids tend to remember. It what she remembers from when she was a little girl; her mother doing this exact thing for her.

"I think you have such pretty hair, Ms. Greene," Millie then bursts. "It looks like sunshine. Or honey!"

Beth laughs softly. "Thank you, Millie."

"It's so long and pretty. My Uncle Daryl thinks so, too."

The comb stills for just a moment at that before Beth is able to remember herself and keep combing, but her stomach feels a little tight right now.

"He does?" She asks, not sure if she could actually believe a six-year-old with that.

"Yep! We talked about it one day and I asked him if he thought your hair was pretty and he said yeah."

Beth does her best to remember to keep combing. Millie is only six and she shouldn't take the girl's word as gospel. Little kids don't know when adults are just saying something to be polite. They aren't able to differentiate tones of someone's speech the way that other adults can. When Millie had asked her uncle that, Daryl had probably just said that she had pretty hair because he knew that was what Millie would want to hear from him. She would want him to agree and he was just being a good uncle.

And even if he does think she has pretty hair, so what? It's just hair and he's paying her a compliment.

"What color hair does his girlfriend have?" Beth wonders out loud.

Millie shakes her head even with Beth combing it. "Uncle Daryl doesn't have a girlfriend."

The comb stops completely in the middle of Millie's hair. "What?" Beth says and even then, the word sounds very far away; she can hear herself speaking, but her brain certainly isn't thinking about it.

"Uncle Daryl doesn't have a girlfriend," Millie repeats. "Mommy's always tryin' to set him up though with different women and he's always grumblin' about it."

Beth remains completely still.

But… she knows she hadn't misheard Daryl last Sunday in her classroom and the words he said. He had clearly said girlfriend _. I'd ask my girlfriend, but Millie don't like her all that much so I'm always keepin' em separated._ Why on earth would he say something like that to her if it isn't true? And she knows that Millie isn't lying to her right now. Millie's at that age where telling lies still aren't something children do that often – especially about anything remotely like this.

Beth remembers herself and finishes combing the last tangles from Millie's curls.

"Would you like to wear it any special way today?" Beth asks.

"Can you do a French braid?" Millie asks her, turning her head just enough for her to see Beth's face. "My mommy tries, but she says she's not very good at doin' them."

"I don't know if I'm good at them either," Beth admits. "But no harm in trying."

She is quiet for the next few minutes as she concentrates on braiding Millie's hair and she admits that her mind is still racing with thoughts of Daryl and whether or not he has a girlfriend. She can't think of a possible explanation as to why he would have lied straight to her face about something like that.

Beth realizes that whether he has a girlfriend or not isn't what is bothering her the most; not like she thought it would have. What's bothering her is that he lied to her and had been able to do it so easily. He stood there and the lie fell from his mouth as easily as breathing and he hadn't even blinked.

Beth isn't naïve and it drives her crazy that people think she is just because she teaches Sunday school and works at a church. She's still a human being and she has told her fair share of lies throughout her life. She's never like herself that much afterwards though and telling lies is such a nasty habit to get into that can be a difficult hole to get oneself out of. So she makes a conscious effort to tell lies very rarely.

And she definitely doesn't like those who do lie.

Daryl telling her a lie about having a girlfriend just doesn't make any sense to her. Why would he want her to think that he has one? Unless…

Beth feels her cheeks warm as her fingers move through Millie's hair. Unless he sees the way she sometimes looks at him and can read her mind and figures that the easiest way to get her to _stop_ looking at him is to make her think that he's unavailable. Beth's pretty sure that that's one of the worst possible scenarios and she feels embarrassed and her chest aches at just the possibility of that being true.

"There," Beth manages to say and even do so with a faint smile. "All done." She fastens the end of the braid with a rubber band and when Millie feels her do so, she hurries to the mirror attached to her dresser and turns this way and that way to try and get a good look at it.

"It's perfect, Ms. Greene!" Millie exclaims happily. "Thank you!"

She then comes rushing back to Beth and gives her a tight hug and Beth laughs a little.

"You are very welcome," Beth smiles at her. "Are we ready to go now?" She stands up and places the comb onto the nightstand, making sure her eyes don't look at the pictures any further; knowing her eyes would immediately go to Daryl in the one frame and she doesn't feel like much looking at him right now.

"Yep!" Millie exclaims happily and then rushes from the room, but returns just a second later. "Wait! I forgot to make my bed!"

Beth smiles and steps aside so the girl could do so, unable to stop herself from helping.

"You like bumblebees?" Beth asks once the bed is made and Millie has place a stuffed bee in the middle of bed from where it had been knocked against the wall. In the two years Millie has been in her class, Beth has never known that about her.

"Yep! Mommy and me both love them," Millie nods. "We plant flowers for them."

"That's very sweet of you," Beth says, an idea forming in the back of her mind.

"And when Uncle Daryl took me to the county fair this summer, he bought me a little jar of honey and then we went to a face-paintin' booth and they painted bees on my cheeks!"

Beth's smile fades just ever so slightly, but she makes sure that she keeps smiling so Millie doesn't notice and possibly ask her about it. "That's very sweet of him," she says.

And it is. Daryl is such a sweet uncle, who always drops off and picks his niece up from Sunday school and always makes sure her motorcycle helmet is on tight and who drives her to the prison each week to see her daddy even though the prison is nearly two hours away.

His sweetness he shows to Millie is the main reason why Beth feels her heart beat a little faster whenever she sees him. That and he's so very nice to look at – strictly shallowness speaking.

But now, knowing that he's a liar – at least a liar to _her_ – Beth hopes she's able to get over this quickly. She's quite determined now to.

…

Beth is sitting on the carpet with the other children and is in the middle of telling them the story of Mary and Martha and Jesus raising their dead brother, Lazarus, from the dead when she hears a roar of a motorcycle outside. She pauses just long enough for her eyes to go to the clock on the wall. He's early. Very early. There's still nearly forty minutes left of class.

She then looks to Millie to see if she's heard the motorcycle, too, but she is sitting next to Natalie and both girls are whispering about something.

Beth wonders if Daryl being here so early is a good thing or bad thing in terms of Merle's parole hearing.

"And now," Beth's mind returns to the class. "Let's make something to help us remember that if we answer Jesus' question, "Do you believe this?" as Martha did, we can have new life, too! Martha said she believed that Jesus is the Son of God. If we believe that, too, we can have new life forever with Jesus.

"When a butterfly comes out of its cocoon, we could say that it has new life because then it's beautiful and free. That's sort of how it'll be when we get new life in heaven because we believe in Jesus. We'll be happy and free forever. We're going to make butterflies this morning to remind us that Jesus gives us hope," she explains, smiling at all of them.

One of the boys, Jake, raises his hand.

"Yes, Jake?"

"Ms. Greene, what's Heaven like?" The boy asks.

"No one knows," she gives him a gentle smile and then sweeps it across all of the children. "We can only imagine what it's like and all we can do is work hard in this life to live as good people in hopes of meeting God and seeing Heaven once we pass on from this world."

Jeremy doesn't seem quite satisfied with the answer, frowning a little as he looks to the carpet, but he doesn't ask anything else about it.

"Do you want to know what I think Heaven is like?" Beth asks and Jake's eyes fly back up to look at her and all of the children look at her, some leaning forward in anticipation of her answer. "I think God chooses the moment in your life when you were the happiest. Truly happy. And once in Heaven, He lets you live in that moment for eternity."

Jeremy seems much happier with that because he's smiling now. All of the children are.

"Alright. Let's make butterflies!"

She traces each of the children's hands on their pieces of construction paper so they look like wings and she tells them to write their names on their butterflies. Once they begin coloring and decorating them, Beth can't help, but look back to the clock. She tells herself that she doesn't care that he's there so early. She tells herself that he's perfectly fine, sitting out there. It's a lovely early fall morning. He knows what time Sunday school ends each week so it isn't as if he's unaware of how early he is.

"Kids, I'm going to go outside for just one second. Keep coloring and I'm going to leave the door open so I can hear you so behave well."

The kids continue coloring and chattering with one another and Beth goes to the back door of the classroom that opens out right into the back parking lot. The motorcycle is off and Daryl is leaning against it, smoking a cigarette. When he sees her step outside though, he instantly stands up straight and drops the cigarette to the ground, stomping on it with the toe of his boot as if he's been caught doing something he shouldn't be doing.

She looks at him for a moment. He's dressed as he always is – blue jeans and a black colored tee-shirt and with the nip of fall in the air, this morning, he's wearing a black jacket.

Beth is not going to think of how good looking he is. Apparently, her looking at him is so unappealing to him, he had to make up a lie about a girlfriend to ward her off.

"If you like, you can come sit inside. We're just working on our craft right now," she invites him.

Daryl looks at her for a moment. "Don't wanna get in the way."

"You won't," Beth shakes her head. "You'll just be sitting in a chair."

She is not going to beg him and she turns before he says something else, going back inside. The children are almost done decorating their butterflies and cutting them out and Beth smiles, walking around the tables to take a look. She does not look up when she hears the door open again, but she knows that it's Daryl. She returns to the front of the classroom and glancing at Daryl, for only a moment, seeing him hesitating in the doorway, she points to a chair against the wall before looking back to the children. Millie sees her uncle as he sits down and is smiling widely at him.

"In a way, when Lazarus came out of the tomb to new life, he was sort of like a butterfly coming out of its cocoon. However, there's a lot more meaning to the passages we read today. Eventually, Lazarus had to die again, though the Bible doesn't tell us about that. But death was still defeated by Jesus, allowing us all to live forever with him. It's that power that gives us hope."

Beth glances to the clock once more. Just a few minutes remaining now.

"Alright, one more thing. Millie, can you come to the Bible, please?" Millie hurries to the front of the room where Beth has a large Bible on her desk. "John 11:25, please," Beth smiles at the girl. "Got it?"

"I think so," Millie nods. Beth steps beside her to see that she does and nods to her with a smile. Millie takes a deep breath and reads to the class. "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies'."

"Very good," Beth smiles at her once more and then smiles at the rest of the class. "Show me your butterflies," she says and all of the kids are excited to hold theirs up. "They are all so beautiful, I think we need to tape these up in the window."

The kids all clamber around her as she takes each one, taping them to the window in the back of the classroom.

"I want mine really high," Trevor tells her. "Closer to Heaven, the better."

"Me, too!" Millie agrees and soon, all of the kids are wanting the same thing.

"Alright," Beth smiles at them. "Let me get a stool."

"Uncle Daryl!" Millie exclaims. "You're tall! Come and help us!"

Beth doesn't look, but she's completely aware when Daryl is near. And then, he's right at her side and even though she doesn't want to, she looks at him anyway.

"I have a stool," she tells him. "You don't have to help."

Daryl just shrugs and doesn't say anything, his eyes looking into her face. "It's no problem and the way these kids are actin', they'll knock you off your stool and you could hurt yourself. No one wants that."

She doesn't say anything to that as she hands him the tape dispenser and the kids are thrusting their butterflies out eagerly for him to take. Beth takes a step away from him and she is urging her heart to stop churning at having him so close by. She can feel him looking at her, even as he tapes the butterflies to the window glass, but Beth is sure to always keep her eyes away from just meeting his. If the children weren't here right now, she wonders if she would be brave enough to ask him why he lied to her. She wonders if he would actually tell her the truth.

Beth tells herself not to think about it though. She's never going to ask him about it.

She'll let him keep his lie.

…

* * *

 **Daryl's POV in the next chapter.**

 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Writing Daryl's POV was so difficult for me to write for this chapter so I actually think I'm going to make this story solely from Beth's POV.**

* * *

…

When Merle first brings his new girlfriend around so Daryl can meet her, Daryl has no idea what to think.

For one, Merle doesn't have girlfriends. He has female friends that he has sex with once or a couple of times and then he moves onto the next. He's never stayed with the same woman for long and he definitely doesn't date any of them. Daryl wonders what his brother thinks dating actually is.

The first time Daryl meets Jenny Moss, she is absolutely _nothing_ like what Daryl has been expecting. His older brother has a type – that's for sure – and Jenny does not match that type whatsoever. For one, the hair. Merle likes his ladies with blonde hair – whether real blonde hair or not, and usually isn't not, the hair always fried and dead looking from being dyed too many times. Merle also likes women with figures – too big of breasts for them to ever be natural and a flair of hips. "So I got somethin' to hold onto," Merle would always say with a cackle and Daryl would always roll his eyes while trying not to see his brother blush.

Jenny has dark red hair like copper of a worn penny. It's long and curly and Daryl can tell it's her real hair color. She's also thin and not the kind of thin that some people naturally are or work to try to be, but rather the kind of thin that people are when they spend most of their lives, not getting enough to eat. Daryl recognizes the look. And maybe Jenny has more in common with Merle and Daryl both than Daryl would have first expected.

Jenny is quiet and shy and he notices the way that Merle is around her. He's _gentle_. Daryl has seen his brother slap too many women on their asses for him to keep count, but with Jenny, Merle actually holds her hand or his arm rests across the back of her chair and he keeps her close.

Daryl doesn't ask about it, but when Jenny excuses herself to get up to go to the bathroom, Daryl finds himself looking at Merle and Merle starts explaining as if he already knows the questions without having to actually be asked them.

"Her old man was a piece of shit," Merle says, diving right into it, taking another handful of peanuts from the bowl in the middle of their table. "Doin' things to her that a dad shouldn' be doin' to his daughter." Merle eats more peanuts and doesn't elaborate and Daryl is thankful to him for that. He can just imagine what Jenny's dad had done and sometimes, a person's imagination can be worse. "She's a waitress over at the Top Hat and I've been askin' her out for months now. Finally got her," Merle says and he's grinning, but Daryl can look and know that it's not Merle's usual lecherous grin.

Christ, his brother is happy. Actually happy.

Daryl doesn't know if he's actually seen that before.

And then Jenny comes back to their table and Merle actually stands up and sits down when she does again and Merle is still smiling and Daryl likes Jenny from that moment on.

Two months later, Merle has Daryl come to the courthouse with them and Daryl stands at his brother's side, holding the wedding rings in his hand and watching his older brother and Jenny get married. A week after that, he helps them move into the double-wide trailer that they have bought. Four months after that, with tears shining in his eyes and a grin on his face, Merle tells Daryl that there's another Dixon coming into the world, but then, another three months after that, Merle gets arrested. In an effort to make more money for his wife and the baby they have coming, Merle had decided to make the brilliant decision in trying to cook his own meth for selling; for easy money. Nothing easy about the ten-year sentence that's handed down to him and Jenny cries as Merle is led away and Daryl swears right then and there that he'll do anything – absolutely anything – he has to do to get his family through the next ten years.

"You do too much," Jenny has told him more than once; when he comes over to change the oil in her car or to hang out with Millie when Jenny picks up an extra shift at the diner or to give Jenny some money that he has a bit of extra leftover after paying his own bills.

Daryl just shrugs anytime she says that and keeps doing anything Jenny and Millie might need.

He loves Merle and with Merle gone right now, all he has is Jenny and Millie and he loves them more than anything. They're family and they're the only family he has.

…

He sees Ms. Greene in the grocery store and like the coward he admits himself to be, Daryl dives into the nearest aisle before she can see him in return. It's the pet-care aisle and he doesn't have a pet, but the cat toys become the most interesting thing in the world to him as he hopes to himself she doesn't see him.

After growing up with a son-of-a-bitch for a dad like Will Dixon, no one scares Daryl anymore.

Except Millie's Sunday school teacher. Ms. Beth Greene is absolutely terrifying to him and the reason is simple. She's _beautiful_. She's so beautiful, the first time he ever saw her – when Millie was four and he was dropping her off at Sunday school for the first time – he nearly dropped his niece because the woman in front of him, smiling and greeting them both, was just that beautiful. He had never seen anyone like her.

And not only is she beautiful, she's so damn nice, Daryl doesn't know what to do with that either. He's never met anyone like her; someone who's so nice to everyone all of the time. People like her, they just didn't exist. Not in his world. Even shy and quiet Jenny gets pissed at people, but she's a waitress and she has every right to get pissed off at people. But with Beth, Daryl wonders if she's ever been angry for a single second in her life.

He tries telling himself that she's a human being and _of course_ she's been angry, but despite the reminders, Daryl just can't imagine it. She teaches Sunday school at church, for God's sake.

The thing that kills him though with Ms. Beth Greene is she is obviously terrified of him and he doesn't know why. He doesn't think he's done anything to ever scare her, but he sees the way she looks at him. Her eyes will rest on him and then quickly look away, as if scared that he'll snap at her for staring, and she's always so jittery, trying to keep herself with some distance between them at all times.

The lie he told her had fallen from his mouth so easily and without much thought, it had almost startled him. Daryl doesn't lie. He never has. He just doesn't see a point to it. Even when his dad asked him a question and Daryl could have lied to save himself a beating, he never did, knowing that Will would always find something else to beat him over.

In the Sunday school classroom, with Millie waiting outside for him, and being alone with Ms. Greene, Daryl is able to see the way she acts while around him more closely. She is looking at him and yet, she's looking as if she wants to be anywhere else than there with him.

He had thought that maybe if she thought he had a girlfriend – if she knew that there were girls who weren't afraid of him – that it might make things better. So he had lied. He hated doing it, but he had and he can't take it back now. He's committed himself to the lie in his head because the next Sunday, when he had come too early to pick Millie up, it had been Ms. Greene who had invited him to sit in the class and she had acted a bit better around him – at least in his opinion. She had actually acted a little cold, which he hadn't been expecting, but Daryl supposed that was better than acting scared of him.

Deep down, he just couldn't stand the idea of this beautiful girl being scared of him.

After staring at the cat toys for, he feels, a long enough time, Daryl slowly walks to the end of the aisle and pokes his head out. He doesn't see her anywhere and he doesn't understand the mixture of disappointment and relief he feels simultaneously at that.

He wonders what he would say to her if they did run into one another in the grocery store; or if not here, somewhere else in town.

Millie is the safest topic, obviously; the topic they both have in common. He knows he can't talk to her about her work. Daryl doesn't know the first thing about the Bible and sitting in the Sunday school class last week, he had been completely lost about what they were talking about. Some guy being raised from the dead. Sounds like a bunch of hocus-pocus to him, but Daryl's not stupid enough to mention that to Ms. Greene or to Jenny – who despite everything that has happened to her, still believes in God – and especially not to Millie. Millie loves going to Sunday school each week and she eagerly always tells Daryl about what she learned and most of all, the girl seems to love Ms. Greene.

Daryl can't really blame the girl for that last one.

…

Daryl and Jenny are going to take Millie out for pizza, but decide that they'd rather be at home when they tell her so Jenny gets the night off from the diner and makes Millie her favorite hamburger casserole.

"Uncle Daryl!" Millie exclaims happily when she hears the roar of Daryl's motorcycle and hurries out the front door to meet him outside. "Mama's makin' hamburger casserole for dinner!" She's practically bouncing on her toes with the announcement.

Daryl turns off his bike and smiles a little as he gets off. "Gonna have to fight me for it, girl," he teases her and then swings a shopping bag into her arms, making sure she's got a hold of it before letting go. "I've brought dessert," he tells her and Millie looks into the bag, gasping when she sees what it is.

"Mama!" She spins around and runs back inside. "Uncle Daryl's brought ice cream sandwiches!"

Daryl smiles to himself and follows after her.

"Millie," Jenny says once they're all sitting at the table with plates of steaming hamburger casserole in front of them and after Jenny and Millie say a prayer of thanks. "Your Uncle Daryl and me have something really important to tell you. It's about your daddy."

Millie instantly puts her fork down and looks at her mama.

Jenny gives her a smile and turns in her chair so she's facing her and takes both of Millie's hands into hers.

"Millie, your daddy is coming home next month," Jenny tells her.

Daryl expects her to immediately scream, but instead Millie sits there, frowning, her brow furrowed and she has no idea what they're talking about. Merle's been up for parole before, but they've never talked with her about it – not wanting to get her hopes up and it's a good thing, too, because he was never granted parole. Until now.

"But there's four more years…" Millie begins to say, but trails off when Jenny smiles and shakes her head and she looks like she' about to cry from happiness.

"There are, but Georgia has decided that your daddy has served enough time and he should come back home to us."

Millie is quiet for a moment, letting that sink in. "Daddy's coming home?" She whispers.

She looks to Daryl for confirmation and Daryl gives her a little smile and nods his head and instead of screaming, Millie looks back to her mama and bursts into tears and because Millie is crying, Jenny starts crying, too, scooping her up into her arms, sitting her on her lap and they hug and cry and Daryl wonders how dusty the trailer is because his eyes are starting to burn up.

"Uncle Daryl, my daddy's coming home," Millie is still crying, but she's smiling, too and Daryl smiles, too.

"You bet he is," Daryl says and Millie turns, hugging Jenny again and burying her face in her neck.

Damn dust.

…

Daryl has bought a box of six ice cream sandwiches and that night, after hamburger casserole, Millie tries to tell them that she should be allowed to have all six ice cream sandwiches tonight for dessert.

"One for every year my daddy's been gone," Millie tries to tell them.

"Nice try," Jenny smiles and shakes her head and hands her just one.

As Millie and Daryl, with his own ice cream sandwich, sit on the couch and watch " _Dancing with the Stars"_ – Daryl can't stand it, but it's Jenny's favorite show and she's only in the bathroom and she gave specific instructions to _not_ change the channel – Millie keeps looking at him and she thinks she's being sly, but she's not.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asks.

"You're not goin' to leave now, are you?" Millie asks him in a quiet voice.

Daryl lifts the remote and mutes the television and gives her his full attention; the ice cream sandwich rests like lead in his stomach. "What the hell you talkin' about? Where would I be goin'?" He asks.

"When my daddy comes back, you're not goin' to leave, are you?" She asks.

"Hell, no, I ain't goin' anywhere," Daryl says without stopping to think about his answer. There's nothing to think about. "Look," he says because she's still frowning a little as if she doesn't believe him. "I ain't gonna lie to you. A lot's gonna be changin' with your daddy comin' home, but you know what's not gonna change?" He pauses and Millie shakes her head. "We're still gonna be a family of four. Just all together now all of the time now and not just for a couple of hours every week."

"I want you to be the one to keep takin' me to Sunday school," Millie tells him.

Daryl instantly thinks of Ms. Greene and that damn lie, but he also thinks about how she's scared of him and he just wants her to stop being so nervous around him all of the time. A necessary lie, he guesses. Besides, it's such a little lie and it's not like the see each other all of the time so what harm can it do?

…

He doesn't hate his job. Far from it. Working on the White Hill's Maintenance Crew is the best job he's ever had. Mowing the grass and cutting down tree limbs, planting more trees, and dealing with laying down sandbags when the river that flows through town is getting a bit too high during the wet season. In the fall, he rakes leaves and in the winter, he lays down salt and keeps the sidewalks and streets clear of whatever snow they get and makes sure that no one slips on any patch of ice.

It pays good and he gets to spend all of his time outside which is all he could ever want in a job.

He lives in a trailer in the same park as Jenny and Millie – and soon Merle – but it's not a double-wide. He doesn't need something that size. His is just a single and it's all his and sometimes, after spending his evenings with Millie or Millie and Jenny, he'll head home, close and lock the door behind him and then just lie on the bed, looking up at the ceiling and losing himself to the silence around. The silence of home.

He won't really admit it to himself, but sometimes, he does get lonely for someone other than his sister-in-law and his little niece, but he just waits for the feeling to pass and it always does pass – eventually.

He likes to remind himself that he has a good job and his own place to live and he's got family who he loves and who loves him.

He gets lonely, yeah, but so does everyone. He's not anyone special in that regard. Or any regard.

…

He pulls into the small gravel parking lot behind the church and turns off his bike, getting off of it only to lean back against it and light a cigarette as he waits as always.

He's glad that Millie said she still wants him to drop her off and pick her up from Sunday school. He just assumed that everything he had done for the past six years, Merle would take over. And Merle deserves it. Daryl is more than ready to hand the reigns back over to him and start his life with his wife and daughter – _finally_. But this is the one thing he still wants to keep. He won't tell anyone, but the seconds he gets to see Ms. Greene every Sunday? It's about the highlight of his week.

No one will ever know that though – especially her. As far as she knows, he has a girlfriend. She was already scared enough by him without knowing him that he's obsessed enough with her to take those few seconds of seeing her every week and stretching them out to last him until he sees her again for the next few seconds the next week.

The back door opens right at eleven and Millie comes racing out, her latest craft for the week in her hand. Her red hair flies behind her like a river of fire as she runs.

Daryl instantly drops his cigarette and stomps it out with his boot.

"Look, Uncle Daryl!" Millie shows him the brown lunch paper bag and puts it on her hand. It's a puppet. "This is Joseph and this is his colorful coat!"

Daryl has no idea who that is, but he smiles as he always does when Millie shows him what she's made that morning in Sunday school. "Looks good," he says and Millie giggles and moves her hand so the bag flaps open and closed as if Joseph is talking.

Daryl lifts his head and sees Ms. Greene, standing in the doorway as she usually does when Millie leaves, making sure that she gets to Daryl alright. Christ. She really is beautiful. And Daryl wonders if it's okay that he can think that without feeling like a piece of shit. Shouldn't he feel like a piece of shit for thinking that about a Sunday school teacher; for _always_ thinking about a Sunday school teacher?

He has no idea why he does, but he doesn't think about it as he lifts his hand to her; just to his chest.

And even from across the parking lot, he can see the way her eyes widen in surprise. They both know he's never done that before. She stands in the doorway for a moment, staring at him, and Daryl slowly lowers his hand, shoving it in the pocket of his jeans, his eyes staying on her.

And then, ever so slowly, Ms. Greene lifts her own hand, also to just her chest, returning the wave, and she gives him the smallest smile, but it's a smile nonetheless – no matter how small it is – and Daryl finds himself smiling a little, too. There's no way he would even think about not smiling back at her.

…

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

…

"But the Bible says, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…' This means that when we tell the Lord Jesus we are sorry and ask Him to forgive us, He will do so at once. The Lord Jesus wants to help us and make us happy. He cannot do this if we have sin in our heart.

"The Lord Jesus protects His sheep. That's us. He said, 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, never shall any man pluck them out of My hand.' This means that no one can ever take us away from the Lord Jesus. Always remember what the Bible tells us. The Lord is my Shepherd. If we love Him and always ask for His forgiveness, He will always be with us."

They are sitting on the carpet as they always are when Beth reads to them and she smiles at all of the children now as they look at her, some returning her smile, and waiting for what she will say next.

Millie raised her hand then and Beth looked at her with a gentle smile.

"Yes, Millie," she called on the girl.

"What happens if you don't confess your sins?" She asks.

Beth's gentle smile remains on her face as she looks to Millie and then all the other children. "What do you think will happen?" She asks them all.

"You'll make Jesus angry," Natalie provides.

"Yes. Angry and sad and disappointed," Beth nods. "Disappointing someone you love isn't a very good feeling, is it?" She asks and all of the children shake their heads. "It's definitely not. And we are to love Jesus more than anything in this world and causing him disappointment should be the last thing we want to do. After everything He has done, loving us all as fiercely and unconditionally as He does, we should want to show Him how much we love him. Right?"

The children all nod, a bit more eagerly this time.

"Right. And you'll feel so much better with yourself, too, if the weight of your sins isn't pressing against you. Right?" She asks again and again, the children nod their heads. Beth smiles. "Today, we're going to work on a new bulletin board for our classroom. I have a sheep for every one of you and you can color this sheep any way that you want. Be sure to write your name on it so we can all see and know that you are a part of the Lord's flock. How does that sound?"

"Yay!" Most of the children exclaim and leap to their feet and Beth laughs, getting to hers as well.

The children return to their tables and Beth hands the white paper cut-out sheep to each child and makes sure that everyone has a bucket of crayons to use and share.

After watching for a few moments, Beth goes to the bulletin board that is waiting to be decorated. She has already stapled the border along the perimeter – sunshine and clouds – and has also stapled a Jesus cutout on one end, He holding a shepherd's hook. As the children color and chatter, Beth begins working on stapling the letters: THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.

"Ms. Greene?"

Beth instantly turns to see that it's Millie.

"Did you already finish your sheep, Millie?"

The girl shakes her head. "I was wonderin', if there's an extra sheep, can I take it to my daddy?" She asks.

"Of course," Beth smiles. "I think that's a lovely idea."

"My daddy's gettin' out," Millie then says. "My mama and Uncle Daryl told me. He'll be home next month."

Beth feels a warmth in her chest at the girl's words and she has never met Millie's dad, Merle Dixon, but she knows how much Millie has been missing him; how wonderful her Uncle is to her, but how she still wants and needs her daddy to be around.

"Oh, Millie, that is so wonderful."

Before being able to stop herself, Beth then sinks to her knees and envelopes Millie in her arms and she can't see her face, but she can feel Millie's smile all the same. Millie's arm creep around her neck and she squeezes them and Beth squeezes her arms in return.

"Yes, you can definitely take a sheep to your daddy," Beth says and pulls her head back so both could look at one another. "And when he's ready – if he wants – we can staple his sheep to the board, too."

"Thank you, Ms. Greene!" Millie exclaims as if that's one of the best things she's ever heard and she rushes back to her table with the other children so she can continue the work on her own sheep for the time being and Beth smiles to herself, turning back towards the bulletin board to continue her own work.

For a fleeting moment, she wonders if – now that Merle Dixon is getting out of prison – if that means that Daryl would stop dropping off and picking Millie up from Sunday school; if Merle will take over the duty from his brother.

She reminds herself though that it doesn't matter one way or another. She sees Daryl Dixon for seconds each Sunday. She'll survive whether or not he's here, filling up those few seconds out of the thousands of seconds that are in each week. She also reminds herself that he doesn't like her and she's trying to stop herself from liking him any more than she still does.

When Beth hears the motorcycle rumbling outside, she looks to the clock to see that he's early once again. And once again, Beth goes to the classroom's back door and opens it without a word. She's not going to verbally invite him inside, but hopefully, he'll take the hint about the open door.

Does she want him to take the hint?

She wonders why he has been getting here so early lately.

This would be so much easier if he wasn't just so darn good looking or if she hasn't seen how good of an uncle he is with his niece. Of course, she would think that he telling a bold-faced lie to her would definitely turn her off of him and yet, here she still is, her stomach tightening at just the thought of him.

When she turns away from the bulletin board, having finished her decorating, she looks back to the class to see how they are coming along with their sheep and she sees that Daryl has taken the hint. He is inside now, sitting in the chair against the wall that he had sat in the week before.

And he's looking right at her.

But seeing that she's turned around now and can see him looking at her, Daryl jumps slightly in his seat as if he's just been electrocuted and he jerks his head away. Beth pretends that she hasn't noticed and she tries to tell her clenching stomach that he wasn't looking at _her_. He probably had just been admiring the nearly finished bulletin board.

She can't help wonder how lonely she really must be if she has a crush on a man who has no problem lying to her as easily as he blinks.

"Alright," Beth clears her throat. "How are the sheep coming? Is the Lord's flock ready?"

"Yes!" A chorus of answers call back and Beth beams at them as the children wave their sheep – all painted in an assortment of different colors – eager to show her.

"Alright. Let's get them up here then," she says and the kids hurry from their tables.

She staples each sheep to the board, creating a flock with Jesus leading them, and just as she staples the last sheep to the board, the door to the classroom opens and parents begin stepping in and sure enough, it's eleven o'clock already. The kids all say goodbye to her as they leave, some giving her hugs, and soon, it's just Beth, Daryl and Millie. Daryl stands up from his chair, but doesn't say anything.

Beth goes to her desk, taking one of the extra paper sheep that she had cut out before class. She turns back to Millie, smiling. "For your daddy," she says.

"Thank you, Ms. Greene," Millie smiles and takes the sheep, holding it carefully so it doesn't wrinkle. "And did you mean what you said? 'bout my daddy lettin' his sheep be put on the board?"

"Of course I did, Millie," Beth smiles warmly at her. She can see Daryl watching them, listening, from the corner of her eye and suddenly, she doesn't really care how petty it seems. "I would never lie to you."

…

"Bethy!" Hershel Greene calls up the stairs. "Could you come down here, please?"

"Just a second!" Beth answers back from her bedroom and then quickly waves her hands over the toenails she had just painted a dark purple. She's always liked shades either black or so dark, they look black.

When she thinks it's safe enough to walk, Beth hurries from the room and down the stairs and when she sees who is standing in the front hallway with Hershel, she gasps and comes to an abrupt stop, not really believing it. Both smile at her and her reaction.

Zach smiles. "Hi, Beth," he greets her casually as if, _of course_ he'd be standing in her hallway on a Sunday afternoon. Where else would he be standing?

"Oh my gosh!" Beth can't help, but exclaim and she hurries towards him, practically throwing herself against him, and Zach hugs her so tightly, he nearly lifts her off from the floor.

She closes her eyes and finds herself pressing her nose against the side of his neck. He still smells like the same; like the beach and ocean smell when they meet each other on a warm day.

Zach had been her boyfriend for three years of college – their freshman year being spent as friends and getting to know one another – and he was her first in all sorts of ways. Her first serious boyfriend – Jimmy during her junior year of high school did not count since they always had more of a sibling vibe – her first real serious kiss with hands and tongues and after that, her first – and at the moment, only – sexual partner. She knows people probably expects someone like her to be a virgin and she had every intention of waiting until marriage before having sex. But she met Zach and she fell in love with him and sharing that part of herself with him had just felt right.

Breaking up after college had hurt, of course, but both had agreed that it had been for the best. Beth had wanted to come back home to White Hill and Zach wanted to go to his home in Charlotte; to the city.

When their hug finally breaks and Beth pulls back so she could look at him again, she can see her daddy standing there, watching them with a smile. She knows that her daddy had always liked her dating Zach.

"A fine young man," Hershel had said about her ex-boyfriend more than once.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Beth asks, very aware of Zach's arms still around her waist.

It feels nice to be having someone touch her besides her parents or the little children in her class, but at the same time, it doesn't feel anything else besides nice and she almost wants to frown because that doesn't seem like it should be right. This is Zach. They dated for three years. She had been completely in love with him. There had been times – very many times – when she had imagined marrying him.

"I had business in Atlanta and I called your dad, asking if it would be alright if I make a quick detour and surprise you," Zach explains with an easy smile.

Beth laughs a little at that. "White Hill from Atlanta is a _quick_ detour?" She teases.

"Ends of the earth for you, Beth," Zach says and chucks a finger lightly beneath her chin and Beth can't help, but blush at that, feeling like giggling. Thankfully, she's able to stop herself before she can.

"How long are you here for?" She asks instead.

"Couple of days," Zach shrugs. "Should probably head back by Wednesday."

"So you're staying tonight for dinner, Zach?" Hershel interjects.

"If you'll have me," Zach nods, looking to Hershel for a moment before looking back at Beth. "I'm staying at the motel in town," he then says.

"Well, you can just check out of there right now. You'll stay in Shawn's old room upstairs."

Beth's head whips around to look at her dad. Is Hershel Greene really suggesting that her ex-boyfriend stay in the bedroom across the hall from her? Even if they are broken up, does Hershel really trust her that much? He should, of course, Beth thinks, because nothing will ever happen, but still. Her daddy's far from an idiot and Maggie had certainly pushed him past his limit with her always sneaking around with different boys.

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Greene, but I'm a bit of a night owl and I'm still going to be doing some work while I'm here. I don't want to keep you and Mrs. Greene up," Zach responds.

"Well, if you're sure," Hershel says. "Dinner's at six as always, Bethy."

"Thank you, daddy," Beth says and gives him a smile before looking back to Zach. "Come on. We can walk to the church from here. I can show you my classroom."

She quickly runs back upstairs to grab her sneakers, tugging them on, before coming back down the stairs and they head out into the warm afternoon together. As they walk down the long dirt drive of the Greene farmhouse, Beth is anticipating Zach to reach over and take hold of her hand and she doesn't understand when she actually feels relieved when he doesn't.

"Alright. Let me have it. What are you really doing here?" Beth can't help, but ask.

"What do you mean? I can't just come here and see you?" Zack asks, but he does so with a grin and Beth just gives him a look that makes him laugh. "Fine. There's a girl in Charlotte and she's madly in love with me, so naturally, I jumped at the business trip to Atlanta when my boss mentioned it and then I thought there really isn't a hurry for me to get back…"

Beth feels a bit confused. "You're hiding from a girl? That's not like you."

"I know," Zach sighs. "And Jackie is nice, don't get me wrong. She's just… she's intense. _Really_ intense and I… I'm not looking for intense right now."

Beth thinks that over for a moment. "We were pretty intense," she points out – _to put it mildly_ , she adds silently to herself.

"We were," Zach agrees with a nod. "But that was with you, and I probably shouldn't tell you this, Beth, but every girl since college has been compared to you."

Beth blushes at that, her face subsequently on fire now, and she has no idea what to say to that.

She has wondered about Zach a few times over the past couple of years since graduating college. There's not a doubt in her mind that if she had wanted to live in a city still or if Zach would have been happy living in the middle of nowhere, they would still be together and married already; maybe even expecting their first or second child at this point.

And though breaking up with him had been painful, she knows that it had been the right thing to do; the only thing to do. They had just wanted two different things and were moving in two different directions. She had been so in love with Zach, but at the end of the day, they just weren't mean to be. He had wanted the hustle and bustle of a big city and Beth had wanted the peace and quiet of a small town.

 _But every girl since college has been compared to you._

Beth isn't sure how to feel about that. She knows Zach is telling the truth – despite him being her ex, Beth has no reason to not believe him when he said that – and while it's sweet in its own way, she realizes that she's not like that with him. Not that there's been anyone since him.

Zach is handsome in the way she usually finds herself attracted to. Light brown hair, still in that floppy cut of his, and a smile that could easily grace the side of a Hollister shopping bag. Not to mention that he seems a bit more age appropriate for her.

And she knows that she'll always have feelings for Zach. It would be impossible for her not to.

But if she's being honest with herself, if she's going to be comparing men to anyone, she's almost ashamed to admit it, but she knows that she'd be comparing them to Daryl Dixon – a man she doesn't even know and a man she doesn't even know if she wants to know.

…

"Ms. Greene!"

Beth turns her head when she and Zack walk into the Top Hat diner on Monday night for dinner and she instantly smiles upon seeing Millie sitting at the long lunch counter with Daryl sitting next to her. Daryl instantly turns as well when he hears his niece say her name and then his eyes move towards Zach standing next to her. Beth doesn't know if she's imagining the way his eyes narrow at her ex or not.

"Hi, Millie," Beth greets the little girl who has come hurrying up to her and she bends down, giving her a hug. "Are you enjoying your dinner?"

"Yep! Me and Uncle Daryl are just visitin' my mama," Millie says. "Who's this?" She then asks, noticing Zach at her side.

"This is my friend, Zach. He's visiting for a couple of days. Zach, this is one of my students, Millie Dixon."

"Hi, Millie," Zach greets, friendly as always, and Millie giggles, delighted, when Zach shakes her hand as if she's an adult. "I like your name. You don't hear that name too often anymore."

Millie scrunches her nose up just like Beth expects her to. "It's really Mildred. I'm named after my great-grandma on my mama's side," she recites, having heard the explanation for her name enough times.

"Well, Mildred or Millie. I think it's a great name," Zach assures her.

Millie bursts into a smile at that and he doesn't know it, but Zach has just gotten a fan for life.

"Hi."

Beth moves her eyes and she can't help, but widen them in surprise when she sees that Daryl had approached them now and has actually initiated a conversation starter with her. She certainly hasn't been expecting him to do that again anytime soon.

"Hi," she hears herself say, staring to his face and she tells herself to look away, but she's unable to.

She barely hears Zach introduce himself and Daryl's response, but she notices when they shake hands.

Maybe it's just because Daryl is standing right in front of her; because he came up to her. He's so handsome and her stomach clenches as it always does. She wonders how many times she has to remind herself that he lied right to her face about having a girlfriend because he doesn't want her anywhere near him before she is able to get her stomach to stop clenching.

"Hi, Ms. Greene," Jenny comes to a stop at the group of four standing right inside the doors. "Table or do you want to eat at the counter?"

"Jenny, it's Beth," Beth gently reminds the woman as she always does. "And," she glances at Zach to see if he has a preference, but Zach just shrugs and he's grinning at her for some reason. Her brow furrows at that because she has no idea what _that's_ about, but she'll ask him once they sit down. "A table, I guess?" She says, looking back to Jenny and Jenny nods, taking two laminated menus from the front station.

"Can you eat with us?" Millie asks, grabbing Beth's hand and bouncing up and down on her toes. "Please? Me and Uncle Daryl can move to a table, can't we, Uncle Daryl?" She looks up to her uncle with wide, hopeful eyes, still bouncing on her toes.

Beth expects Daryl to no to Millie as gently as he can. They can eat their dinners at the counter and Beth and Zach can eat their dinners at a table.

She wishes she's generally brave enough to ask him why he lied to her, but she's really only ever considered herself brave when she's drinking. She had drank a few times in college at one party or another because no topic had been considered off the table and Zach had always laughed at her when she did. "A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts," he always said.

"Sure," Daryl answers and Beth's eyes fly to him and she finds that he's already staring at her. He gives a little shrug. "We can do that. If Ms. Greene and her date don't mind."

Beth opens her mouth to answer – to say anything – but no words come out. She's still staring right at him and her head is starting to pound a little. She doesn't understand this man. She doesn't understand a single thing about him and he's giving her whiplash. Beth knows though that she doesn't like it.

"I'm not her date," Zach jumps in because Beth still hasn't said a word. "And we'd love to join you."

…

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 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review. And thank you so much to those who have been reviewing this story so far!**

 **Next chapter - we will finally have more Beth/Daryl interaction and I hope to write it from Daryl's POV.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm so sorry this chapter took so long. Work has just been so absolutely insane and I'm working on a thousand different things right now.**

 **And also, this chapter is so much shorter than my others because I am having the hardest time with Daryl's POV in this story and I'm having to force myself to write his POV. Others who write will agree with me on that. I shouldn't have to force anything so again, I'm going to have to switch back to Beth's POV and stay there unless I feel differently.**

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…

Daryl is very aware of how much grey hair is sprouting on his chin as he sits down across from Zach.

Jenny has showed them to a booth and as Beth and Millie slid in first, sitting against the window, Daryl then sits down next to Millie and Zach sits down next to Beth and even though the guy had said that he and Beth aren't on a date, Daryl can't help, but look to see how close they are sitting next to each other. He hates himself a little when he feels relief that there seems to be a normal amount of distance between them and he is sure to tell himself that it's none of his damn business how close Beth is sitting to anyone – especially some guy closer to her own age with floppy hair and sleepy goddamn bedroom eyes.

They are all quiet for a passing moment as they look over the four-page menu filled with everything from burgers and beef goulash to breakfast served all hours.

"I want waffles!" Millie exclaims.

Daryl smirks a little. "You know you can't have somethin' like that this late. The syrup will keep you up all night and your poor ma won't get any sleep."

Millie pouts, her lower lip stuck out dramatically.

"What about the chicken fingers?" Beth speaks up. "Those sound absolutely delicious. And they come with French fries and any of those dipping sauces. I think I'm going to have to get those."

"Those are my favorite!" Millie announces to them all with a grin. "I get 'em with barbecue sauce!"

"I think I might get mine with honey mustard," Beth muses and something about that makes Zach smile.

"You don't say?" He asks and it's clear he's teasing her judging by her smile and the gentle elbow in his side and Zach just keeps on smiling and Beth is trying not to smile in response, but she's failing miserably.

Christ. If Daryl had thought that she was beautiful before, sitting this close to her, able to look at her for more than just a couple of minutes, she damn near is taking his breath away. Her skin is milky like cream and he bets it's as soft as it looks. She probably rubs all sorts of lotions into it to get it looking like that. He wonders if she takes baths with actual milk. He's heard of people doing that kind of thing.

Her hair is down that evening – long and wavy – and she has the front of it, on one side, braided and pinned back and damn, he's never really paid attention to a woman's hair before – except Jenny's just because it's so different than what he was used to – but he notices Beth's. Millie has said more than once that her Sunday school teacher has hair that's just like sunshine or honey and Daryl agrees with her completely. Except anything that's yellow in this world pretty much can't hold a candle to Beth's hair.

It makes him uneasy – how comfortable she is with Zach – the two smiling and laughing and joking around and they have obviously known one another for some time. They may not be dating now, but Daryl watches them and it's pretty clear to him that they had dated – or fucked – at one time or another.

There's an ease between them and the only reason Daryl notices it is because he's always been good at reading people and the situations he finds himself in. He has sharp instincts that have kept him alive more times than not and have yet to steer him wrong.

He keeps looking at Beth, hoping that it's not as obvious as he is thinking that it probably is.

He can't help it or get himself to stop though. Prettiest girl in the whole damn world is sitting in the same booth as him and he knows he'll probably never get another chance to be this close to her.

"Well, I'm going to get the chicken fingers with honey mustard sauce," Beth decides.

"I'm gettin' 'em with barbecue!" Millie says quickly, wanting to mirror her teacher.

Zach grins. "Guess I'll get mine with the ranch."

Daryl then has three sets of eyes on him and Millie is beaming, waiting for him to say what he's going to get, and then slowly, he moves his eyes to look at Ms. Greene. Beth. She's looking at him, too, and when she sees that he's looking at her, he's pleasantly surprised that she doesn't instantly look away from him. He stares into her eyes and she stares right back and they're the only ones in the Top Hat Diner that night.

He wonders what it would be like, taking this girl out on a date. He's never been on a date before, but he figures it can't be that hard if Merle managed to do it. He thinks of the dates he's seen couples do in movies. Dinner and a movie. Daryl already knows he wouldn't want to do that with Beth. It's boring and besides that, if they're in a movie, he wouldn't be able to talk to her and isn't talking with each other the whole point of going on a date with someone?

He'd ask her what she would want to do. If she wants to go to a movie, then that's what they would do. But he hopes that she would want to do something else. Maybe he could take her bowling. He tries to take Jenny and Millie to the bowling alley at least twice a month – whenever Jenny's got a night off from working and she's not too exhausted to do something besides straighten things up at home.

He likes bowling. He's not terrible at it. And maybe Beth likes bowling, too. He has no idea.

He doesn't know anything about her besides she teaches at the church, she's beautiful and she's sitting next to a guy who has more than likely seen her naked at some point.

He finally remembers himself and he wonders how long he's been staring at Beth like some creep.

"I'll be gettin' the chicken tenders with the teriyaki then," Daryl decides and Millie beams wider.

Jenny comes up a moment later to take their order.

"Mama! We're all gettin' the chicken tender dinner and we're gonna try all of the dippin' sauces!" Millie says and she's so excited, she's practically bouncing in her seat; as if this is one of the greatest things ever.

Jenny laughs as she writes the order down on her pad. "Sounds wonderful to me," she says with a smile. "I'll be right back with your drinks," she promises before someone at the counter is calling her name and she is whisked away to see to another customer.

"That's my mama," Millie tells Zach, who smiles at her, just in case he hasn't figured that out for himself.

"You look just like her," Zach says.

"It's the hair," Millie nods knowingly and Zach grins so widely, he's almost laughing.

Daryl wants to hate the guy sitting across from him just because of his obvious relationship and past with Beth, but he's so nice to Millie, how can Daryl hate him? A person can tell a lot about someone by the way they treat kids.

"So, what do you do, Daryl?" Zach asks, moving his eyes from Millie to Daryl across from him.

"I work on the town's maintenance crew," Daryl answers and it's the first time in his life that he's actually able to give an answer when someone asks him that. Not only does he have a job, but it's a good-paying job – at least to him. He hadn't even finished high school – getting his GED when he was a bit older.

He knows it probably doesn't sound all that impressive to someone else, but he's damn proud of it.

And looking at Zach across from him, Daryl has no doubt in his mind that he wears a suit every day.

But Zach surprises him. "City and town jobs are some of the best to have," he says with a nod.

"What about you?" Daryl then hears himself ask.

Small talk is not his strong suit. Hell, _talking_ isn't a strength of his, but he admits that he wants to get to know this guy who's not Beth's date. For completely innocent reasons, of course.

"I work for Coca-Cola Bottling. We're based in Charlotte, but I take a lot of business trips to Atlanta."

Daryl was right in thinking that Zach wears a suit every day. He probably has his own cubicle; if not office.

He finds himself daring to look to Beth again. Each booth at the Top Hat Diner has their own little jukebox and Beth has fished a quarter from her purse, presenting it to Millie, who is thanking her again and again before sitting up on her knees and beginning to flip through the selections, not wanting to make a poor one and having the quarter go to waste.

"What sort of music do you like, Millie?" Beth is asking her, Beth watching Millie with a soft smile.

"My mama loves Fleetwood Mac," Millie answers. "And my daddy loves Bob Seger and Uncle Daryl loves The Eagles. So I love all of 'em, too."

Beth laughs softly at that and Daryl has to turn his head away so he's not looking at her anymore. That soft, light laugh of her makes his stomach churn like he's about to be sick everywhere. He's never felt like that before; not over some girl's laugh and he doesn't really understand it. Maybe Merle will understand it. Merle fell in love with Jenny and got her to marry him. He knows a hell of a lot more about women than Daryl ever probably will. Maybe Jenny's laugh does the same thing to Merle's stomach.

"I like Fleetwood Mac, too," Beth is saying to Millie. "And the Beatles."

"Mama sings _Blackbird_ to me after I have a bad dream," Millie says and Beth smiles at that.

Jenny returns with their drinks – all of them have gotten glasses of Coke except for Millie who can't drink soda and Jenny has gotten her a kid's cup of apple juice – and Millie drops the quarter into the jukebox, making sure she presses the correct buttons of her choice.

"Is this a good one, Ms. Greene?" Millie asks as _Baby, it's you_ by the Beatles starts playing.

Beth smiles warmly at her. "It's one of my favorites."

Millie beams proudly at that and tears the paper from her straw before dunking it into her cup and taking a long drink, her head bobbing from side to side in tempo with the song, and Daryl can hear Beth sing the lyrics so softly under her breath, but still, it makes Daryl shift in his seat ever so slightly because it is like she's right next to him, singing the words right into his ear.

"So, Daryl," Zach speaks, breaking through his thoughts – and Daryl knows he should probably be grateful for that; not even knowing if he's like where his thoughts are right now. "Do you like living here? Me not wanting to live here is why Beth kicked me to the curb after college."

Zach says that with a grin though Daryl can't think of a single reason why Beth breaking up with him would be cause of a smile. Daryl already knows that if he had Beth and lost her…

What the fuck, Dixon? He all, but growls to himself, forcing those kinds of thoughts dead in their tracks.

Beth rolls her eyes at that. "That wasn't the only reason, Zach, and you know it," she says as she takes her turn to look through the jukebox, having found another quarter.

Daryl wants to ask why they broke up, but he is thankfully able to stop himself before he can. He looks at them across from him and he's already guessed that they had dated at one time or another, but now, knowing that, for certain, that they had, he wonders why. Zach and Beth just look like one of _those_ couples. The couples on TV shows that are pretty together and just seem like they belong together.

He can't help, but look at Zach's face. Zach isn't sporting a grey hair anywhere. Then again, his face is baby smooth, unlike his own – rough and tan from being outside most hours of the day and now scratchy with hair he hasn't bothered to shave for the past couple of days.

Zach seems perfectly nice, but sitting across from him, Daryl just feels old and cruddy, to be honest.

"Can't imagine myself livin' anywhere else," Daryl finally answers Zach's question. "For a lot of people, a small town like this can feel like the whole world."

His eyes dart over again to Beth and this time, he finds that she's already staring at him. Her eyes are looking at him and no one else and Daryl swears that she's almost smiling. At him.

"And you have a girlfriend, right?" Zach asks and then looks at Beth when Daryl can see Beth elbow Zach a little deeply into the side. Beth gives him a look and Zach frowns at her, looking back.

Daryl can't help, but frown a little, too. Has Beth talked about him to Zach? What has she said? Why would Zach ask if he has a girlfriend or not?

Shit, he can't lie. Not now. Millie's right here and Millie's still at that age where kids don't lie. They're painfully honest about everything and usually, Daryl is, too – except about this. The one time in his life when he actually lies and it comes to bite him in the ass. Figures. This is why he doesn't lie. A person just can't get away with it. Eventually, the lie – whatever it is – catches up with them.

He dares to glance at Beth once more, but her head has turned back to the jukebox, flipping through the choices once more, and Daryl can see a flush creeping up her neck and over her cheeks.

"Uncle Daryl doesn' have a girlfriend," Millie jumps in and answers for him. "He said he don't want one neither. Says girlfriends are damn nuisances."

"Millie," both Daryl and Beth say her name at the same time.

"What?" Millie asks, looking to them both with a slight frown, confused, and Zach has to turn his head away, taking a sip of his Coke and doing his best at hiding his smile from the little girl.

"Here we go!" Jenny smiles as she arrives with a tray of four plates of the chicken tender dinner just as Beth drops the quarter into the jukebox, making her selection.

"I wanna try all the dippin' sauces," Millie informs them all what they already know. "But I already know that the barbecue is gonna be the best."

"I think you might change your mind, Millie," Beth smiles at her and Beth always gives Millie the same smile. It's warm and kind and it always makes Millie smile in return. "Honey mustard is one of the greatest things ever invented. I would eat it with just about everything if I could."

"I once saw her try it with bacon," Zach says and shudders as he is now thinking about it again.

Daryl recognizes the song playing immediately and he can't help himself from looking at Beth with a slight smirk.

And surprisingly enough, Beth is looking at him, too, looking – again – as if she wants to smile at him.

 _Lyin' Eyes_ by the Eagles is now playing throughout the diner. Daryl supposes there are worse songs Beth could have played for him.

…

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 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review! I am in shock at the kind of response this story has been getting.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for your endless patience and support. I absolutely love this chapter and I hope you do, too.**

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…

Beth knows that they're just kids and they're not going to be perfectly behaved all of the time, but there must be something in the air or the water because this Sunday, her class is just _awful_. They will not calm down; won't stop talking no matter how many times she tries to get them to be quiet. They're antsy and won't stop doing things they're not supposed to be doing during class. Trevor is doing something that makes that other kids at his table smother their laughs behind their hands, but anytime Beth tries to catch him, the boy is the epitome of an angel.

Beth prays to God to give her patience, but it doesn't seem to work. The kids just won't behave and Beth snaps at them all – even Millie – and finally, when there is a half hour left in class, Beth is tired – tired of the kids; tired of speaking and no one listening; tired of trying. She hands out printed out copies from a page in her Bible coloring book and tells the children to occupy themselves with those. She then sits down at her desk and does something she rarely does during Sunday school.

She watches the clock and counts down to when class is over.

And once all of the kids are picked up by their parents and the classroom is empty and quiet – finally – Beth folds her arms on top of her desk, lowers her head, and she starts to cry.

She has no idea what is going on with her. It's not the first time one of her Sunday school classes have ever misbehaved like this. They're just children and they're in school all week and some weeks, the last thing they want to do is sit in a somewhat stuffy classroom and listen and learn about God while they could be outside, playing.

Beth gets all of that. She really does. And she doesn't know why the kids acting just like kids today have made her cry as if it's the worst Sunday school class she's ever had. That would have been a couple of years ago when the kids had put tacks to the bottom of their sneakers so they all had tap shoes. This class today can't even compare to that, but still, she can't seem to get herself to stop crying.

She has no idea what is going on. It's about her time of the month. That always makes her far more emotional than she is usually. And while her visit with Zach – while short – had been perfectly lovely and she is so glad that even after everything, she can still consider him to be one of her close friends. It's just seeing him, being so successful and living the life of a twenty-something in a city, he's like a character on a television show and though she knows it's a sin, Beth wonders, deep down, if she's jealous of him.

She knows she wouldn't be happy living in a city. No matter how big or small. She's just not meant for city living. Some people are. Many people are. Her sister, Maggie, acts as if a person hasn't truly lived or really don't matter unless they live in a big city. Beth has pointed out on more than one occasion to her big sister that that's a rather elitist, snobby opinion, but Maggie never seems to change it.

Beth witnessed it for herself during her years of college. Kids who weren't from small towns or the country, they looked down on those who were. They thought small-town people were ignorant and practically backwoodsmen. Thankfully, she knows Zach isn't like that and he never thought of Beth to be anything like that, but while she knows that Zach doesn't think things like that, she also knows that he doesn't really understand people who live in small towns – or in White Hill's case, absolutely minuscule towns; towns that aren't even on maps and people don't find unless they get horribly lost.

Does she wish she lives somewhere else? No. She knows that for certain. She's just not meant for city living. But does she wish that she had maybe given it a shot with Zach past college? She doesn't think so. She loved Zach, but around graduation, she realized that she wasn't _in_ love with him and that makes all of the difference. Loving someone and being in love with someone. And she wants that for herself. She just wants to be madly in love with someone and have that someone be madly in love with her in return.

Is she worried about not finding something like that living here? Maybe, but that still doesn't explain why she is crying so much right now after a bad Sunday class. It's not her first bad class and it won't be her last. Perhaps she's crying because… because she just feels like maybe she's wasting her whole life here.

The tears come harder as that thought passes her mind. Yes, that's definitely what it is. Maybe she should move somewhere else. To another small town; to another small town who needs a church youth director. Somewhere where she can have friends her own age and perhaps, a man she can see herself falling for.

And then, before she can help herself, her mind goes to thoughts of Daryl Dixon.

She had thought – fleeting thoughts – over the past two years, ever since he brought Millie to her class for the first time that maybe, something would have happened. She has no reason for thinking that, she knows. He is just a handsome man who loves his niece. That doesn't mean that they would have _anything_ in common. Just because he's a man and she's a woman, that doesn't mean they should try to see if they can be together. All that means is that Beth has had a crush on him and it isn't going to go anywhere.

Even now that she knows he's single, her crush definitely isn't going to lead to anything between them and she can only hope that her crush for the man actually goes away. Why would she ever want to be with a liar? If he could lie about something so small, she knows she would never be able to trust him and what was the point of being in a relationship if she can't even trust the man?

Beth exhales a deep breath and lifts her head from her desk, wiping at her soaked cheeks.

She feels a little bit better, to be honest. Sometimes, a person just needs to have a good cry to feel better.

There is choir practice later that afternoon and somehow, Pastor Douglas has roped her into helping. She helps with the youth choir, of course, but the adult choir is always something that Pastor Douglas has seen to and run himself. But after witnessing her own singing and her work with the youth choir, Pastor Douglas admitted that the adults can use her help, too.

And Beth would like to meet the person who would actually be able to refuse their Pastor anything.

She looks to the clock on the wall and is surprised to see that she's been crying far longer than she would have thought a person could cry. She'll have time to go home and change into something a bit more relaxing than her dress and her mama will fix her something to eat before she'll return to the church.

That's another reason, too, to be honest. She's twenty-four and she doesn't want to live with her parents forever. Annette and Hershel are her best friends and she can't imagine not having her parents around, but she lived for four years away at college without them and Beth can't find the fault in wanting to be on her own again. She makes alright money with White Hill Baptist, but not enough to support herself, she knows. Maybe if she moves to a somewhat larger small town, she'll be able to make a little more.

Beth wipes her cheeks again and plucks a Kleenex from the box at the corner of her desk. She can't go home with wet eyes. Her mama is a typical Southern mama and there will be no quieting her is she knows Beth was crying until she knows _why_ Beth was crying and Beth's just not in the mood for the interrogation; especially since even she's still not entirely sure why she's been crying her eyes out.

Her eyes fly up when she hears someone knocking on the classroom door. She expects it to be Pastor Douglas, but instead, it's Daryl standing there, looking somewhat awkward and out of place and Beth can't stop her eyes from widening at the sight of him.

"Is everything alright?" Beth asks, shooting up to her feet. "Is it Millie?"

Daryl quickly shakes his head. "No. I mean, yeah, everythin's alrigh' and no, 's not Millie. I, uh," he stutters out and then clears his throat. "Millie told me the kids were bein' lil' devils to you today."

"Oh, no. They were fine," Beth shakes her head quickly and Daryl looks at her for a moment.

"Thought tellin' lies was breakin' one of those big rules or somethin'," he comments and for the first time in what feels like hours, Beth feels like smiling.

So she does.

"The Ten Commandments," she offers and Daryl gives a nod.

"Yeah, those things," he says and Beth can't help the bubble of laughter that escapes past her lips. "Mel Brooks made a movie 'bout them once. Said there used to be fifteen 'fore that guy dropped one of those tablets and that's how they got to ten."

Beth smiles, knowing the movie he's talking about. "Moses and I don't teach the kids Mel Brooks' version of the Bible," she tells him, still smiling faintly, and Daryl smirks a little.

He looks at her for a moment and then clears his throat, looking down. For the first time, Beth realizes that he's holding a cup in his hand.

"I, uh, Millie told me how bad she and the other kids were today so I thought I'd stop by and bring you somethin'." Daryl steps into the classroom then and approaches her at her desk, standing on the other side of it, facing her. "Don't know if you'd want it or not, but I thought maybe you'd like some hot chocolate," he offers. "And Millie wanted me to bring this to you."

He reaches into the back pocket of his blue jeans and pulls out a folded piece of white construction paper. He hands it to her and Beth unfolds it slowly, instantly smiling when she looks down at the drawing Millie has created in crayons. There are two people in the center of the paper – one taller girl with blonde hair and then a little girl with red curly hair – and they're holding hands, surrounded by rainbows, bumblebees and a great sun shining in the upper corner. Beneath the two figures, she has written _I love you, Ms. Greene_ and surrounded the words with pink and purple hearts.

Looking down to the drawing, Beth feels a fresh round of tears start to creep into her eyes again. How could she ever think of moving away?

She gives a sniffle and then lifts her head to look at Daryl.

"Can you please tell her that I'm going to be taking this home and framing it?" She asks and Daryl gives a nod. "And hot chocolate is one of my favorite things in the world," she then tells him.

"Yeah…" he begins to say and then clears his throat. "I 'member you saying that in last week's class."

Beth looks at him curiously as she takes the warm, paper cup he extends to her.

She wonders if his ears poking through his hair are actually turning pink or if she's just imaging it.

"Last week, when you were havin' the kids say some of their favorite things and how God's responsible for all of 'em, you said that one of your favorite things is hot chocolate," Daryl says and he's staring down at her desk rather than at her as he says it.

Beth feels a warmth bloom spread across her body that begins in her chest before spreading out all over the rest of her; to even the tips of her fingers and her toes. He remembers that? He has been getting here early every Sunday for the past few weeks to pick up Millie and she has left the back door open for him so he can come inside and sit. And he does. Beth just never would have thought that he would actually listen. Daryl made it clear to her the very first time they met two years earlier when he dropped Millie off to her Sunday school class for the first time that he doesn't believe in any of this "stuff" – as he so eloquently put it then; stuff that Beth has built nearly her entire life upon.

That's another reason Beth hopes her crush on Daryl eventually fades away. They're just too different. She would like to find a man for herself who would come to church with her each week because he wants to in addition to not lying to her face about something as stupid as to whether he has a girlfriend or not.

"What about you?" Beth asks and Daryl lifts his eyes to look at her. He has shoved his hands into his coat pockets and he seems uncomfortable, standing there, and yet, he makes no move to leave again. "What are some of your favorite things?"

"Gonna tell me God's responsible for 'em?" He asks.

"No," Beth shakes her head and pauses to take her first sip of the hot chocolate. It's hot as it pours slowly down her throat and the internal warmth she felt with Daryl just seconds earlier now is only increasing in temperature. "I don't convert people. What you believe is what you believe. I just talk about what _I_ believe in hopes that it gets the person listening even just a little curious. What they do with that curiosity is completely up to them. I know you don't believe in this "stuff", Daryl," she says. She then shrugs a little. "I was just curious about you." She pauses and looks at him. "Thank you for the hot chocolate. It's delicious."

She takes another sip of the hot chocolate and then without looking at him, sits back down behind her desk. She begins straightening things up and doesn't expect Daryl to stick around after that.

"I like my motorcycle," Daryl says and Beth can't stop her eyes from flying up to look at him. He is still standing on the other side of her desk, his hands still in his pockets. "I like my job. I like my trailer where I live. 's small, but it's all mine and I don't need more than that. I like bein' an uncle."

Beth smiles faintly at that.

"I like the bacon cheeseburgers at the Top Hat. I like my brother and sister-in-law. And I like that thing you say to the kids at the end of class every week."

"The same God who decided that this world needs sunsets and sunrises and chocolate cake decided that this world needs you too," Beth recites automatically and Daryl gives a nod.

"Yeah. That."

Beth doesn't know much about Daryl and Merle Dixon except what everyone in White Hill seem to know, but she has a feeling that no one had ever told either brother something like that during their lives.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Daryl then blurts out.

Beth's eyes lower down to her desk and she actually has never expected Daryl to ever admit the truth to her. Now that he has, she realizes that she doesn't even know how to react to it. She's hurt, yes, though she has told herself time and time again that there's no reason to be hurt. Daryl isn't anything to her. Just an uncle to one of her students. Maybe it's because she hates lying so much and it _is_ one of God's rules that she tries to live by; to always tell the truth. She's also so confused as to why he would think to lie to her because who is _she_ that he would think to lie to her? She's just his niece's Sunday school teacher.

"Why did you lie?" Beth asks, looking up to him again.

Daryl shrugs and she thinks that that's the only answer she's going to get from him on the matter.

"Jus' didn't want you to be scared of me, 's all. Thought that if you thought I had a girlfriend in my life, you'd think I couldn' be that bad or scary," Daryl continues.

Beth frowns at that and shakes her head slightly. "I'm not afraid of… why do you think I'm afraid of you?"

"See the way you act 'round me. Act like havin' me around you is the last thing you want," he says.

Beth shakes her head again; as if she's trying to clear it of thoughts because right now, she's just so confused and she has no idea what to think; has no idea why _he_ would think so things about her.

"Daryl," she gets to her feet. "I'm not afraid of you. Not at all. And I am so, so sorry if I ever acted like I was." Without thinking it over, she reaches a hand out and touches his coat sleeve. "Please believe me," she says quietly.

She wishes she could tell Daryl that seeing him every Sunday when he picks Millie up after Sunday school is the time of week she looks forward to the most. But she can't because now she is the one who doesn't want to scare him and even if she knows it wouldn't scare him, she knows she's just not that brave, to be honest.

Daryl looks at her for a moment – his eyes intense and focused on nothing, but her. She's honestly never had anyone look at her like this. Definitely not a male. Certainly not Zach. Daryl is looking at her right now as if she's the only thing left in his whole world.

It is intense and somewhat disconcerting and somewhat addicting. She can't look away from him; not when he's looking at her like this.

"I believe you," Daryl finally says and Beth is amazed at the relief she feels at that. "And 'm sorry."

She had no idea that he had thought she was scared of him. Beth is grateful that he doesn't know the real reason why she seems to act so strangely around him. If he knew of her crush, _he_ would be the one to be scared of her.

It's Beth's turn to look at him. "I don't like liars, but I would like for us, someday, maybe, to be friends. If you'd like that. But I can't be your friend, Daryl, if you lie to me."

She expects him to scoff or just shrug and not say anything. He seems to do that a lot. And honestly. What does he care about being her friend or not? She's thought it herself. They're just too different. This, right here, in this classroom, in this church, is what her entire life is about and Daryl doesn't believe in any of it. She doesn't know why he doesn't have any faith, and it's not her business unless he makes it so, but even though Beth isn't one to push her personal beliefs on others, she knows that someone of faith can make a person of no faith uncomfortable.

Or maybe, it's more simple than that. Maybe Daryl has enough friends already. Maybe he doesn't need another one.

"'m not gonna lie to you again," Daryl says and his voice is strong and it makes Beth think that it leaves little room for her to doubt his words.

She gives him a little smile and he smiles a little back at her and she feels that rush of warmth again; all from Daryl and not the hot chocolate. Beth looks at his little smile and she knows that her crush on this man probably isn't going to be going anywhere. But she doesn't know if that's a good thing or not.

…

* * *

 **I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.**

 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	7. Chapter 7

…

Daryl can feel the same nervous energy coming from both girls as they stand at the gates of the prison. Jenny is standing to his left and he's surprised she's got any nails left on her fingers to chew. They've been waiting there for nearly thirty minutes. They know it might take a while – getting Merle through all the processes and then being officially released. But they wait and they'll wait all day if they have to.

Millie is standing on the other side of Jenny. Well, not standing. She had started out standing, but as the minutes tick by, the little girl has eventually sat down on the warm concrete. Daryl had asked if she wanted to sit in the car, but Millie had fiercely shaken her head at the suggestion. In the half hour they have been waiting, Millie hasn't looked at anything except the massive gray building looming before them, her hands fists under her chin; as if the hardest she stares, the sooner Merle will appear.

She hasn't spoken a word and Daryl would be worried, but Jenny hasn't talked either and Daryl never feels like talking that much; especially today.

He's already got a pack of fresh cigarettes in the car, ready and waiting for Merle, and Jenny and Millie have baked him a pan of double chocolate brownies, also in the car – the windows rolled down so the Georgia sun trapped in the car won't ruin them. Merle isn't allowed to drink alcohol while he's on parole, but he's got a cold can of Coke in the little cooler also waiting for him.

Daryl doesn't wear a watch. He can tell the time just fine by using the sun overhead and he's about to walk right up to the gate and the guard there and ask where the hell Merle Dixon is. Haven't they waited long enough to get Merle out here with them? He's been gone for _six_ years and son of a bitch, his own daughter has never hugged her daddy in her whole life when he hasn't been wearing a prison jumpsuit. Millie's waited long enough. Jenny's waited long enough. And Daryl loves his family more than anything, but they're Merle's family and Daryl has waited long enough to return them to his brother.

As if reading his mind, Jenny reaches a hand out to him then and his arms are crossed over his chest so her hand squeezes his bicep.

"I feel like I've never thanked you enough for everything you've done over the past few years," Jenny says and Daryl turns his head to look at her. "I wouldn't have survived these years without you," she whispers.

"You better not be thinkin' 'bout thankin' me now," he says with a frown and Jenny's lips curve into a small smile and her hand falls away from his arm.

"Fine. I won't thank you," she concedes. "But I will tell you again that I wouldn't have survived these years without you."

Daryl shakes his head. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for," he tells her and Jenny smiles at him, tears shining in her eyes.

He knows things, but Merle and Jenny have never told him the whole story and Daryl has never asked. It's not his business if they don't choose to make it his business. And honestly, he doesn't need to know. What Jenny went through – and _survived_ – with her old man, that's in the past and she's a damn good mom and she loves Millie and raises her in a good home and works hard at her job. She loves Merle and has been faithful to him even though no one would really blame her if she cheated or served Merle with divorce papers. If anyone knows about making themselves more than your past, it's Daryl. And hopefully, Merle can work on that now, too.

As they continue to wait, and Millie begins counting a row of ants crossing the concrete in front of her, Daryl stands and thinks about Ms. Greene. He wonders if he can start thinking her of Beth.

She said that she would like them to be friends – either now or someday – and Daryl finds himself not hating that thought; not hating it at all. He's got a couple of friends, but not many. He's never had many and honestly, over the past six years, he's been busy working and taking care of his sister-in-law and niece so now that Merle is getting out, to have a friend, Daryl's not going to lie. He's looking forward to it.

He's already wondering what they'll do together. Does Beth expect them to do something? Do they hang out? Go places? Or just see each other every week when he picks Millie up from Sunday school?

How the hell do adults be friends with each other?

As long as she doesn't expect him to go to church with her.

Not that he can actually imagine Beth doing that to him. She knows he doesn't believe in that stuff and she's already told him that she has no plans on trying to convert him. It's obviously important to her – a big damn part of her life – so it's not like he's going to tell her that he thinks it's all bullshit. Why would he ever do that? Daryl just hopes that they can be friends without having to talk about religion at all.

All three heads whip up when they hear the creak of a heavy metal door opening.

And there's Merle, stepping out of the imposing building with a plastic bag in his hand and a guard at his side. He is wearing jeans and a tee-shirt – "gifts" from the prison so he won't be wearing his jumpsuit now that he's considered a free man. The instant Merle sees them all waiting for him on the other side of the gate, he breaks out into a wide grin that they can all see from their spots.

"Daddy!" Millie exclaims, scrambling to her feet.

Daryl and Jenny stand where they are as Millie tears off for the gate.

Merle says something to the guard, who says something in return, and the two shake hands. The guard than waves his hand to the guard manning the gate from the booth and a button is pressed and a buzzer rings out and slowly, the gate begins to open.

Merle doesn't even wait for it to fully open before he's slipping out and Millie runs right to him, Merle dropping his bag and scooping her up in his arms, lifting her up and holding her tight. Millie's arms are tight around his neck and they stand there, hugging one another, and from the corner of his eye, Daryl can see tears streaming down Jenny's cheeks and Daryl's not going to lie. His eyes are feeling a little sting, watching it, too, and he knows damn well that it's not the cotton in the air.

It feels like Merle and Millie hug one another for hours before Merle shifts her into one arm while he stoops down and grabs his bag with the other. Millie's arms are still around his neck, her face buried in his shoulder, and he carries her back to Jenny and Daryl.

"Come here, mama," Merle gives Jenny a grin and holds his arm out and Jenny rushes for him, Merle enveloping her in an embrace and Jenny wraps her arms around both Merle and Millie.

Daryl stands there and suddenly feels like he shouldn't be there at all. He stares down at the cracked and faded concrete of the prison parking lot. This is a private moment for Merle and his family and maybe Daryl should turn and go wait back by the car or something.

"Uncle Daryl," Millie then says and Daryl lifts his eyes to see that Merle, Millie and Jenny are all looking at him; all three with wet eyes and smiles. "Come here, Uncle Daryl," she beckons and Daryl finds his feet moving forward, carrying himself towards them.

Jenny and Millie both open one of their arms and Daryl is brought into their hug, the four standing there for who knows how long, just holding and hugging one another.

"Hey, baby brother," Merle says from in front of him and Daryl looks at him, not saying anything; just waiting. Merle gives his head a small shake. "Never again," he swears.

Daryl tries to tell himself not to believe him. It's hard for guys coming out of prison to stay on the straight and narrow path. Most places, when they find out someone's got a record, they don't hire them and guys struggle to find legal and legitimate work. And because of that struggle, a lot of guys come out and need to make money so they go back to doing things they shouldn't be doing.

It's a circle that happens to more than it doesn't and even if Merle has a family he needs to support and take care of, it's hard for guys with a record, so Daryl tells himself to not believe Merle when he says that he's never going back in there because the odds aren't exactly in his favor.

But Daryl looks at Merle, holding his daughter in one arm and his other arm around his wife, and Daryl is part of this circle, too, and in that moment, Daryl wants to believe nothing more in that moment than he wants to believe that Merle will _never_ be inside those fences again.

Daryl love Jenny and Millie and he knows that they love him, too, but he's not their daddy or their husband. They _need_ Merle. They don't need him.

"Never again," Daryl echoes quietly and it almost is like Merle has been waiting for him to say that – waiting and needing to hear him say that – because once he does, Merle breaks into a grin and squeezes his arms around the shoulders of both his girls and Daryl finds himself smiling a little, too.

…

Merle wants one of the cigarettes, but he doesn't want to smoke in the car with Millie so instead, he eats two brownies from the pan and drinks his cold Coke as Daryl drives them away from the prison and back towards White Hill; back towards _home_.

"What do you have a taste for, honey?" Jenny asks, turning in the front seat to look at Merle and Millie, who are sitting in the back. They all know it will be impossible to pry Millie from her daddy's side for the next few days. "We're celebrating so anywhere you want to go," she gives him a smile.

"What do you want, Mills?" Merle asks.

Millie shakes her head. "Nope! You choose, daddy," Millie beams up at him.

Merle grins at her and then looks to Jenny. "I could go for the pot roast at the Top Hat," he says and if Daryl wasn't driving, he'd be turned in his seat and looking at his older brother because right now, Merle almost sounds _embarrassed_ to be saying that. Daryl's never known Merle to be embarrassed over anything that's ever come out of his mouth – no matter how racist or sexist or down-right crude it is.

He just spent the past six years in prison, Daryl reminds himself. It's the first time he's been out with his daughter and wife at the same time. He doesn't know Millie because it doesn't matter that she's visited him every weekend since she was born. A couple of hours every week is different than being with her every single day. And with Jenny, they're married and Daryl knows they love each other, but they have to get used to each other again, too, having gone a long time without actually being together. Maybe he's not embarrassed. Maybe he's just trying to give an answer that he thinks both Jenny and Millie will like.

That makes sense, Daryl thinks, but it doesn't make it any less jarring to hear Merle be unsure about anything, but of course, Daryl doesn't say any of that. Who the hell would he say it to? So keeping quiet, he just drives the car in the direction of the Top Hat restaurant.

…

In the restaurant, it's a little too late for lunch, but still a little too early for dinner and there are plenty of booths and tables open. They decide to sit at a table so Millie and Jenny can sit on either side of Merle and Daryl sits across from him.

"Come on, Millie," Jenny says, holding her hand out. "Let's go wash our hands before we eat."

Millie slips her hand into her mama's and the two head off for the bathrooms, Merle turning his head and watching them go as if he doesn't want to let them out of his sight for even a moment. Once they have gone down the hallway and into the bathroom, Merle turns back and he looks at Daryl.

"Listen, Daryl," Merle begins, but Daryl swiftly cuts him off, knowing what's coming.

"Jenny already tried and I wouldn't let her. I'm not gonna let you either," Daryl tells him. "We're family."

Merle looks at him and it looks like maybe he wants to say something else, but then he decides against it and gives his head a nod. "I don't know what the hell 'm doin'," he then admits. "It ain't where I wanted to be, but it was easier when I only had to see 'em a couple hours every week and talk with 'em on the phone. But now that I'm out, what the hell do I know 'bout bein' a husband or daddy?"

Merle's asking Daryl as if he really wants Daryl to give him an answer, but Daryl has no idea what the hell that answer can possibly be. He's not a husband or a dad and he's never been to prison. He has no idea what's going on in Merle's head right now about anything. And it's not as if Merle doesn't know any of that, but he's still looking at Daryl; still wanting an answer.

Daryl keeps quiet, really trying to think of something good he can tell his brother right now even though he knows that he has absolutely no idea what he's talking about. And even if he did know what the hell he was talking about, he's not used to giving advice to Merle. At all. That's just not how their relationship works. Merle tells him what to do and that's what Daryl does. That's how it's always been.

Things have changed obviously. Daryl's gone out on his own and has gotten his own place and his own job and he doesn't live his life according to Merle anymore. But Merle is still his brother and Daryl still loves him and right now, Merle needs him to say something.

Daryl clears his throat and looks down to the placemat on the table in front of him instead of at Merle across from him, staring at him and waiting. "I don't think you realize how much those two girls love you, Merle," Daryl finally says, still not looking at him.

Daryl doesn't dare tell him that over the past few years, Daryl has been jealous of Merle more than once. Having a wife and a kid, it's definitely nothing that he's ever thought of having for himself. But sometimes, when he's been with Jenny and Millie – over at their place for dinner or taking Millie to or picking her up from Sunday school or going to the zoo with them on the rare day off that Jenny has from the restaurant and Millie doesn't have school, he'll walk with them and think that maybe having something like this for himself wouldn't be that crazy.

He loves Jenny, but he loves her like a brother-in-law loves his sister-in-law. He loves her as family does. He's not _in_ love with her. But – and he'll never admit this to anyone except himself – sometimes, he would spend time with Jenny and Millie and pretend that they were his wife and kid and this was his own family.

Not all of the time, but sometimes, he'll allow himself to imagine what it would be like. Finding a nice girl and falling in love with her and having her love him in return. He wonders if he'll keep thinking about that now that Merle is home and he won't be spending as much time with Jenny and Millie anymore.

…

His head is down, but he's aware of someone coming down the front steps of the town hall building and he turns the weed Wacker off so he doesn't get grass clippings all over their legs. The person's feet come into view, coming down the front walkway and then stopping at the line where the grass and pavement meet and lifting his eyes, he sees Ms. Greene standing there, looking at him with a smile.

He is wearing headphones over his ears to cancel out the noise and he pulls them down so they are around his neck and he lifts his sunglasses so they rest on top of his head.

"Fancy meeting you here," Ms. Greene – Beth – says, still smiling.

Daryl allows himself a little smile, too. "What are you doin' here?" He asks.

"Pastor Douglas asked if I minded filing some licenses for him," Beth replies. "The church has their annual carnival coming up and we just have to make sure all of our forms are in order."

Daryl gives a nod. He's been going to the carnival for a few years now – from about when Millie was three and mainly because Millie has begged him to take her. Not that she's had to beg him too much. He actually hasn't minded taking her. There are rides and food trucks, a bake and garage sale, and a live band with people dancing. Millie always wants to go ride the donkeys and spend time in the petting zoo for the little kids where they can interact with pigs, goats and she _always_ has to get her face painted. They can't even think about leaving until she gets at least one cheek painted.

He knows it's the White Hill Baptist Church's main fundraiser of the year and people from all over come to it; not just those who go to the church.

"Lemme know if you need any help," Daryl says out loud before he can stop himself and there must be an expression of shock or surprise or a mixture of both on his face because Beth laughs then.

"You don't really mean that," she teases.

He clears his throat and finds himself smiling a little again. "Nah. I do," he says and he actually does. "I don't know what you'd need help with, but I've got a bit more free time now…" he trails off.

"How is he adjusting?" Beth asks and he wonders how she's so good at knowing what he says when he hasn't said a damn word.

"Happy to be home," Daryl shrugs. Of course, after six years in prison, who _wouldn't_ be happy to be home? "It's only been two days though. Think it's going to take him a while to remember he doesn't have to tell everyone when he wants something to eat or wants to go outside."

Beth smiles faintly at that, but doesn't say anything. Daryl's grateful for her silence, to be honest. He doubts this girl has ever known anyone who has been in prison and there's nothing more Daryl hates than someone talking about something they don't have the first clue about.

He takes a moment to look at the pretty Sunday school teacher standing in front of him. She's wearing a dark blue dress and a white sweater and black flat shoes on her feet. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a braid, the end of it pulled over her shoulder. It still kind of shocks him when he thinks of how pretty she is.

"Do you think-" she begins to say, but then abruptly stops herself, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

"Wha'?" Daryl asks.

Beth clears her throat and seems to think it over – as if questioning herself if she's really going to ask him or not and Daryl feels himself practically holding his breath, hoping she _does_ ask him whatever it is that she had first thought.

But then she straightens her back as if gathering her courage and lifts her chin, staring straight at his face.

"Do you think you'd like to come see a movie with me tonight?" Beth asks.

"Tonight?" He immediately begins going through what else he has to do that day at work. After whacking the weeds, he has to make sure the sprinklers are working – the town hall ones have been acting janky lately – and then he has to clean out the gutters. Work here will take him until five; the day's quitting time.

"I know it's short notice," Beth begins to shake her head. "And you probably want to be with your brother more-"

Daryl cuts her off this time. "Tonight sounds good."

Beth's eyes widen ever so slightly as if that is the last answer she has been expecting him to give and he then watches as her face melts into a smile. "Really?" She asks; just wanting to make sure.

"Nothin' romantic though," he is quick to add and then pauses. "Less that's what you wanna see. I'll grit my teeth and bear it."

Beth lets out a laugh and shakes her head. "Actually, I've really been wanting to see _IT_ , but haven't had the time to go and I know it's about to leave the theater. Have you seen it yet?"

It's Daryl's turn for his eyes to go slightly wide. " _You_ wanna go see a horror movie?" He asks because he never would have expected that and he wonders if she actually knows what _IT_ is.

Beth just smiles at that. "You have to stop doing that."

"Doin' what?"

She pulls her car keys from her purse and pursing her lips together, she shakes her head. "Assuming things about me just because I teach Sunday school."

Daryl opens his mouth to respond to that, but he finds that he can't think of anything to say.

"I'll meet you at the theater. Does the seven o'clock show work for you?" She asks.

And Daryl looks at her and still isn't able to say anything, but at least he's able to nod his head.

"Alright," Beth smiles warmly. "I'll see you later, Daryl."

She gives him a little wave and then turning, she begins heading down the walkway once more, towards the parking lot where her car is. Daryl remains standing there, vaguely aware that he probably looks like some idiot right now, staring after her and not moving.

He hasn't been assuming things about her, has he?

He asks the question even though he already knows the answer and she's right. He needs to stop. He's going to go see a horror movie tonight with the prettiest girl he's ever seen and just by doing that, Beth's already gone against every assumption he could ever make about her.

Putting his headphones back on as well as slipping his sunglasses into place, he turns the weed Whacker back on and finds himself smiling a little as he resumes work. He's going to a movie tonight with Beth. Beth and him are going to go see a movie tonight. Together.

He gets off work at five and the show starts at seven. That will give him plenty of time to shower and change. He wonders what would be alright to wear tonight because even though they're just friends – or something like that – there's nothing wrong with wanting to look nice. And he doesn't care what Beth says in regards to it.

She teaches Sunday school and he wants to look like a guy who is allowed to spend time with her.

…

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 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter took me forever. I really hope it's not complete crap!**

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…

Beth will never admit it and she'll deny it if someone even _thinks_ of accusing her, but the truth is, she spends far too much time deciding what to wear to the movie that night with Daryl.

She keeps reminding herself that they are friends. Just friends. Or something like that. She's actually not entirely sure. She told him that she hoped they'd be able to friends someday and he said that he'd like that, too. Well, no, he actually didn't say those _exact_ words, but that the way Beth is choosing to interpret it. She and Daryl are friends and friends go to the movies together and don't care about their appearances when in one another's company.

Beth tells herself all of this – over and over again – but that still doesn't seem to stop her from trying on no less than eight dresses, standing in front of her full-length mirror in the corner of her bedroom and able to find fault in each and every one.

These are the dresses she wears every day when she goes to work at the church and if the dresses are well enough for church, then they are definitely well enough for seeing a scary movie with her _friend_. Besides, she doubts very much that Daryl will take notice of what she's wearing.

Beth sighs heavily as she pulls the eighth dress off from over her head and tosses it onto the bed, joining the pile of the other rejects.

She doesn't know what she's doing. Daryl is her friend and she needs to stop hoping that maybe, it can ever be something more between them. She needs to just let her crush on the man wither and die away. She and Daryl have nothing in common. They wouldn't be good together. They wouldn't make any sense together and imagining the possibility of having anything more with him is just a cruel and unnecessary torture she is inflicting upon herself.

Finally coming to a decision, she abandons wearing a dress at all and instead, she tugs on a pair of skinny blue jeans, a plain white long-sleeve shirt and a heavy yellow cable-knit sweater that goes to her knees to help fight off the chill of both the fall evening and a possibly cool theater. Again, she studies her reflection in the mirror and she sighs softly because she still doesn't like what she's looking at. But then she reminds herself that this is good enough. It's just a movie with a friend, sitting in the dark for three hours.

She tries to remember if she ever put this much effort in her appearance when going out with Zach.

Turning away, Beth then goes to her dresser and looks into her reflection in the oval-shaped mirror and without allowing herself time to mull and think over it for far too long, she brushes out her hair and then begins styling it in a simple loose braid, pulling it over her shoulder.

Her heart is drumming in her chest and she wishes that it would just stop.

It's just Daryl. Just a movie with Daryl. She is well aware that she is being completely ridiculous and blowing this out of proportion and as soon as she gets home tonight, she is going to throw all of her romance novels into a box and donate them to the Church book drive. She obviously is reading too many of them. They are giving her all sorts of fanciful ideas and… expectations.

She thinks the last word as if it's the filthiest word she's ever thought of before and her nose wrinkles.

And before she can stop herself, once again, thoughts of leaving White Hill creep into her head. This time though, she isn't thinking about moving in hopes of finding a better-paying job. This time, she thinks maybe she should move to a slightly bigger town with a slightly bigger population and her odds of meeting someone are greater. She knows she's young. She knows she has plenty of time to meet someone and fall in love. And this has nothing to do with her love of romance novels, but falling in love and getting married and having a family, that's all Beth has wanted her entire life. She's always wanted to be a wife and mother and there aren't exactly a lot of options where she lives right now.

"Come on, Beth," she says to her reflection in the mirror and gives herself an eye roll for good measure.

She is twenty-four. Not dead. Why dwell on things that haven't happened for her yet while ignoring everything she has in her life? She has a home to live in and she has both parents and she has a job that she loves going to each and every day. And right now, she is going to be spending her evening, watching a scary movie with a man who is becoming her friend. Right now, all of these things are more than enough for her.

Now feeling slightly better than she has for the past hour, Beth gives her reflection a smile – a smile she absolutely means. She tugs on her calf-high brown boots, zipping them up, before turning and leaving her bedroom. She'll hang all of her dresses back up once she gets home later tonight after the movie. She doesn't want to be late in being late to meeting Daryl.

She takes the back stairs and comes down into the kitchen with a noticeable bounce in her step. Annette is standing at the sink, washing the last of the dishes from dinner, and she turns her head to see Beth, smiling when she looks at her.

"You look very nice, Bethy," Annette smiles.

Beth is happy with that compliment. Friends should look nice for one another. If her mom had said that she looked cute or beautiful, that might be a problem.

"Thank you," Beth smiles in return. "Do you need me to do anything before I head out?" She asks.

Annette gives a slight laugh at that. "Get out of here before your dad pulls you into his newest puzzle."

Beth smiles and takes the truck keys down from the hook on the wall. "The movie is a bit of a long one so I'm sure you'll be in bed by the time I get back."

"Sounds good. And you're going to see this movie with Daryl Dixon?" Annette asks, finishing the last dish and setting it onto the drying rack on the counter next to the sink. She then takes the towel and begins drying her hands, turning so she can lean back against the counter and look at Beth.

"Yep," Beth answers, slipping her purse on over her head and slinging the strap across her chest.

She looks back to her mom and that is her first mistake because she'd have to be blind to miss Annette's slight smile upon hearing her response.

"What?" Beth asks and that is her second mistake. As a southern mama – or any mama for that matter – that is always a dangerous smile and asking about that smile can lead to a lot of things kids just don't want to hear; most times it being the truth, but just not ready to hear it yet.

Annette just shrugs and keeps on smiling. She turns and folds the towel again, setting it on the counter. She then turns back to Beth. "Have a wonderful time tonight, dear," she says, sounding completely innocent, but Beth has known her mom long enough by this point to know that there is nothing innocent about this.

Her mom is clearly thinking of something and Beth knows without a doubt that she doesn't want to know what Annette is thinking and yet, she finds herself standing there; as if waiting for Annette to tell her.

"Daryl Dixon is a nice man," Annette adds.

"He is," Beth agrees. Once they got past that stupid lie he told, she doesn't doubt that he's a nice man. Everything he had done for his family over the past few years while his brother had been in prison, only someone who can be described as nice – to put it simply enough – would do that without hesitation.

"I'm glad you're spending time with someone," Annette says.

Beth feels a fist clench around her heart at that comment. She shouldn't have been surprised though. She's been lonely and no one knows her better than her parents. Of course they would be able to tell.

Beth allows herself a small smile. "Me, too," she admits truthfully.

Annette steps forward then and hugs her; a hug Beth readily returns. "Have fun tonight," she then says.

"I will," Beth says and it sounds as if she's making a promise to herself more than anything.

With one more hug with Annette and then calling out "Good night" to Hershel in the living room, Beth leaves through the backdoor. If Hershel has started a new puzzle in the living room, it's best to avoid that area for the time being. Her daddy has a tendency to take his puzzles quite seriously and he'll ask Beth for her help with the border and then he won't be able to let her go.

The pickup truck rumbles beneath her as she drives down the farm's main dirt drive and then turns onto the road, heading into White Hill. She refuses to think that the closer she gets to town, the tighter the knot in her stomach becomes and the drumming of her heart only increases. She's being ridiculous and she is sure to tell herself that over and over. She's going to be sitting in a dark theater for the next few hours. No talking necessarily. And once they are done with the movie, they will walk outside and go their separate ways.

At most, she and Daryl will have just ten minutes of talking to be had between them.

White Hill has a small theater to go with their small town – an old brick building that has been a movie house since it was built just after the Great Depression; a two-screen theater that usually shows an "adult" movie and a "kids" movie. Right now, it is showing _IT_ and one of those Lego movies.

There is a short line outside and Beth scans the people as she drives past, but she doesn't see Daryl. She pulls into the parking lot next to the theater, but she doesn't see his motorcycle there yet either. The knot in her stomach is now so tight, it nearly makes her wince.

"Stop it, Beth. He still has plenty of time," she mutters to herself. Not everyone shows up to movies twenty minutes early. He'll be here. She has no doubt in her mind that he'll be here. She tells herself that anyway.

It's a nice, cool night and not wanting to just sit in the truck, she gets out to stand there and wait for him. It'll be better if she's not staring at the clock on the dashboard as well.

She leans back against the truck and tilts her head back, looking up to the stars. There are so many that night, twinkling in the night sky, several winking at her and Beth gives a small smile. She has no right to feel lonely. How can she when she's in a beautiful world like that? And like she tells her Sunday school kids, God made this beautiful world and He thought that this beautiful world needed her, too. Whatever God has planned for her, He will give it to her in a time He feels fit.

A small whine breaks through her thoughts and Beth brings her head down to look to see what made it. She can't see anything in the darkened parking lot, just a few posts lighting the area. But she hears it again and it sounds actually quite close.

She is parked near the back of the theater, near the dumpsters, and she slowly heads that way now. Taking a step and then listening and then taking another step, making sure she's heading in the right direction.

"Oh, you poor thing," Beth instantly lowers herself to her knees as soon as she sees, keeping distance even though she really doesn't want to.

It's a dog. White – at least she thinks it is because right now, it's filthy – and small with a boxy, muscular build and pointed ears. With Hershel being a vet her whole life, Beth knows that this dog is a terrier, but which kind specifically, she's not sure. All she knows is the dog is absolutely starving and she can see all of his ribs.

The dog stares at her, but keeps himself pressed against the side of the dumpster. He's not growling at her, but he's not coming anywhere near her either.

She thinks of the trail mix she has in her purse – her go-to theater snack. She can't give any of that to the dog. One half of the ingredients will kill him and the other half won't be able to be properly digested.

But she has to give him _something_.

She hears the roar of a motorcycle pulling into the lot.

"I will be right back," she promises the dog and she then hurries to her feet, turning just as Daryl pulls his motorcycle into the empty spot next to Beth's truck. "Daryl," she rushes over to him.

"Wha's wrong?" Daryl asks, able to pick up on the sense of urgency in her tone.

"What time is it?" She asks, not wearing a watch and even as she asks him, she pulls her phone from her purse to look for herself.

"Still got about fifteen minutes," he answers. "Wha's wrong?" He then asks again.

"This is going to sound like a very strange request, but can we go to the pet store real quick?"

Daryl looks at her for a moment. "Not the strangest thing someone's asked me to do."

Beth smiles a little at that. "There's a dog by the dumpster. I want to buy him some food," she explains.

"You don't gotta explain. Jus' figured you wanted some bacon strips for yourself or somethin'," he shrugs.

She laughs at that and from the corner of her eye, she can see Daryl smiling a little. She looks at what he's wearing though she does her best to not make it too obvious that she's looking. Jeans and a plaid flannel shirt that despite the coolness of the air that night, he has the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. And given the muscles the man has in the entirety of his arms, Beth thinks that that's a little cruel of him.

"You cut your hair," she says before she can stop herself.

Daryl looks to her and lifts a hand to his hair. "Yeah. Jenny did it for me 'bout an hour ago," he says. "Was gettin' too long even by my standards."

Beth looks at it. It's not as long as it was just when she saw him earlier this afternoon, but it's not too short either. Even just getting it cut, Daryl is still able to have it look completely tousled; like he doesn't care a foot about how his hair looks. And given what she knows about Daryl so far, she thinks that's very much the truth.

"I like it," Beth hears herself say as if that means something.

But Daryl lowers his eyes to the ground as if suddenly shy. "Thanks," he mumbles.

There is a pet store right across from the street from the theater and once they near it, Daryl reaches past her to open the door so she can enter first and he follows behind.

"So you in the habit of takin' care of strays?" He asks her as he follows her up the dog food aisle.

"Yes," Beth says and then laughs a little. "My mom stopped letting me walk to and from school when I was younger because I was always bringing home stray cats."

She sees Daryl smile a little at that, too, and she would have thought that having him actually show up – as if she was terrified that he wouldn't have come at all even though he said he would – would loosen the knot in her stomach, but standing next to him and able to see him smile, it honestly just knots itself even tighter.

"This will work," she decides on a small bag of dry kibble. Wet food might upset his stomach too much. It looks like he hasn't eaten for quite a while and she doesn't want his system to go into shock.

"I got it," Daryl says and even though the bag weighs just five pounds, he takes it from her arms as if it weighs fifty. Nonetheless, Beth gives him a warm smile of thanks.

She grabs two bowls on the way to the register and next to the front counter, there is a cooler of "human" drinks and Beth takes a bottle of water. She sees Daryl pulling his wallet from his back pocket and she swipes her credit card before the cashier can even finish ringing up all of her purchases.

Daryl gives her a look and Beth just gives him a sugary-sweet smile in response.

He smirks a little and shakes her head. "Fine. But I'm gettin' the next stray."

"Deal," Beth agrees with laughter in her voice. Daryl's smirk slides into a small smile.

The dog is still at the dumpster, not that she thought he would have run away. She still doesn't approach him and instead, she sets the bowls down near enough where he can see them. He watches her every move as she pours a bit of the kibble into one of the bowls and then dumps the water into the other bowl.

"There you go, sweetheart," she smiles at him. "Don't eat too fast or you'll make yourself sick."

She gives the dog one more smile before standing up again, turning to Daryl, who is standing behind her, watching her, and Beth finds that he is staring at her; staring rather intently, to be honest. It almost makes her nervous, for some reason, even though she had no reason to be nervous.

"Is everything alright?" She finally asks.

Daryl is quiet for another moment and then gives his head another nod. "Ready to get inside? Movie's about to start," he says.

"Yes!" She answers, quite eagerly. "I've been wanting to see this one so bad."

"Still can't believe you like horror movies," Daryl says and it sounds like he's saying it more to himself.

"Me or a Sunday school teacher in general?" Beth wonders.

"I…" he begins to say, but then stops himself. He's quiet for a moment and then shakes his head. "I don't know, to be honest."

There is no one in line at the box office anymore and before she can, Daryl steps in and buys both of their tickets. Beth can't help, but frown when he hands her one of them.

"What?" He asks as he steps ahead to hold the door open for her.

"I'm getting the next movie," she informs him and he smiles a little.

"Deal," he agrees.

Beth does her best to ignore the faster drumming of her heart at the idea of the two of them going to see another movie together.

"You wanna get anythin' to eat?" He asks as they come to stand in the lobby.

Beth shakes her head and then looks around for a moment before turning towards him. "I have trail mix in my purse," she whispers to him so no one, but him can hear.

Beth watches and she's fairly certain it's one of the most beautiful things she has ever seen.

A smile – an actual _smile_ – cracks across his face. Not a smirk or a little smile that she has seen before, but an actual smile that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle.

And it's both one of the best _and_ worst things Beth has ever seen because with that smile, she knows her crush on this man isn't going to go anywhere anytime soon. Just friends? Yeah, right.

The same God who decided that this world needs sunsets and sunrises and chocolate cake decided that this world needs Daryl Dixon's smile, too.

…

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 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**

 **A couple of notes: I have been missing S3 Daryl's look so that's what I'm imagining for this story. Also, before you ask, the answer is yes. Either Beth or Daryl must have a pet of some kind. And yes, this dog will appear again. He's actually going to help Beth with her loneliness.**

 **Thank you again!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I can't thank you enough for still wanting to read my Daryl/Beth stories and having patience with me as I fight through an inspiration drought. The comments I received for the past chapter seriously just overwhelmed me because I didn't know the love for my stories, and for _me_ , was still here. **

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…

The movie isn't the worst horror movie he's ever seen. Actually, it's pretty damn good and those kid actors do an amazing job, in Daryl's humble opinion. The best parts though is probably the few times Beth turns and buries her face against his arm when a scene becomes too intense up on the screen. Daryl does his best to keep from smiling every time she does that. He wonders if she even realizes that she's doing it.

When she said that she had brought trail-mix, Daryl had been expecting a little baggie that she had bought at the checkout of the grocery store. Instead, once they are settled into their seats – halfway up with Daryl sitting in the aisle seat so he can stretch his legs out, Beth sets her bag in her lap. Daryl takes a sip from the cup of Coke he has bought from the concession stand and tries not to smile as she looks all around them; as if she's waiting for a policeman to clap a hand on her shoulder and escort her out for sneaking in food.

She then pulls a gallon-size Ziploc from her bag and sets it down in his lap and he nearly chokes on his Coke. He had not been expecting it to be that big. Beth then leans down and puts her bag beneath her seat before taking the Ziploc from his lap and placing it into hers.

"Okay," she says with a smile. "We have peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips."

Daryl doesn't say anything and then blinks at the bag. Beth is looking at him and slowly, her smile fades.

"I don't even know if you like trail mix," she then says, seeming to say it more to herself. "You don't have to-"

"Looks good enough to eat," Daryl manages to say and he knows he sounds stupid and his voice is too gruff, but the smile that forms on Beth's face tells him otherwise. "You sure you got enough to spare?" He then asks and he's trying his hand at teasing her.

It works because Beth laughs then – soft and light – and Daryl finds himself already thinking of the next thing he can say that can get her to laugh like that again. He's heard her laugh before – when he's early to pick Millie up and he winds up sitting in on one of their Sunday school classes and Beth will laugh at something one of the kids says and Daryl always sits there and thinks how much he likes the sound of her laughter.

But now, Beth is laughing because of _him_. Not laughing at him, but laughing _because_ of him and the warmth spreading over his chest is a foreign feeling to him, but he knows that he definitely doesn't hate it.

"Well, you've caught me. I love trail mix," Beth says, the slightest laughter still in her tone.

The theater is dim – just enough light for people to find their seats before the movie starts – but Daryl can easily see the brightness of her face. Daryl is closer to being forty than thirty and he knows, for a fact, that his face has never been like that. He can't help, but look at her and her bright face and it's probably one of the most fascinating things he's ever seen.

He wonders what the hell she's doing here with him.

He has a feeling that that's not going to be the last time he has that thought.

She takes a handful of the trail mix and she beams when Daryl reaches into the bag, doing the same. Her phone lets out a ding and Daryl takes the bag from her lap so she can lean down and pull her phone out from her purse. She hits the button and she looks at the screen and Daryl notices the slight drooping of the corners of her lips as she then silences her phone and puts it away once again.

"Everything okay?" Daryl hears himself ask before he can stop himself because it's definitely not his business.

Beth nods and takes the trail mix bag back from him. "Yes."

Daryl nearly tells her that she's breaking one of those big commandments of hers, but it doesn't feel right this time. He stays quiet and takes another sip from his Coke. He had offered to share it with Beth after he had bought it, but she had just smiled and shaken her head, thanking him, but saying that if she drinks anything during a movie, she'll have to get up no less than twice to go to the bathroom and she hates missing anything when she's paid money to see it.

Beth sighs softly and then slips a little lower in her seat, bringing her feet up and resting them on the back of the empty seat that's in front of her. "There's this thing. Instagram. You can post pictures and people can comment and I have an account and my friends from college and myself all follow one another, but I haven't posted anything in a while. It just started depressing me, to be honest."

"Why?" Daryl asks, reaching for another fistful of trail mix and Beth helps herself to another fistful as well.

Beth shrugs. "It's really just a way for people to brag about their lives. They post all the amazing things they're doing. They constantly post pictures of their babies or boyfriends or husbands." She shrugs again. "I don't have anything in my life worth bragging about."

Daryl frowns a little at that. "Is that the thing where people are always postin' what they're eatin' like I really give a shit about it?" He asks.

The burst of laughter from Beth is sudden and loud and she seems to even startle herself. She slaps a hand over her mouth, her eyes still laughing, and Daryl smiles a little, taking some more trail mix. He's probably going to eat this entire bag before the previews can even begin.

"Instagram. Facebook. Snapchat," Beth lists off.

"All sounds stupid."

He doesn't know the first thing about those kinds of things. The only reason he has an I-Phone is because he was given one with his job; so his supervisor can reach him when there's an emergency. When he's not at work, Daryl leaves it on the table next to his bed. There's no one who needs a phone that complicated.

Beth thinks on that for a moment. "I suppose it can be," she agrees. "But in college, I really loved Instagram. And then, we all graduated and moved on with our lives and it's clear I'm the only one not doing anything."

"You're teachin' kids and teenagers how to not be lil' assholes. That's not nothin' to me," Daryl offers.

Beth laughs again.

He tries to think of something else to say – something that can get her to laugh and something that can show her that her life isn't nothing – but the lights dim completely down then and an animated popcorn kernel appears on the screen, reminding everyone to visit the concession stand and to turn their phones off.

There are actually some funny lines and the movie guys do a good job at making the clown pretty scary. One of the scenes in the abandoned house, one of the boys wanders into a room filled with clown dolls. Beth promptly turns her face towards his arm.

"Tell me when he's out of there," she whispers to him.

After another minute, Daryl puts a gentle hand on her elbow. "'s done," he whispers and Beth slowly lifts her head from his arm. Because of the light coming from the movie screen, Daryl is able to see her face clearly.

He finds himself staring into her eyes – she's got these big eyes that he's never seen on another person – and she is looking into his eyes in return.

"You smell good," Beth then says and he can see her physically wince as soon as she says those words.

He can't see it clearly, but he can _hear_ her blush.

"You smell good, too," he tells her and he's glad they're in a dark theater and even if they weren't, he's glad that his hair is still long enough to cover the tips of his ears to hide the blush burning there now.

But it's worth it because Beth is still blushing, but he sees her melt in a shy smile and she slowly turns back towards the screen. From the corner of his eye, Daryl can see the smile across her lips for a long time after.

Daryl wonders if he likes her laugh or that shy smile more. Daryl decides that it's safe to call it a tie.

…

"Oh my goodness, I _loved_ it," Beth beams two hours later as they walk out of the theater with the others.

"Yeah, it was good," Daryl agrees and he's slightly surprised by that because Hollywood just doesn't make honest-to-God good horror movies anymore.

They walk side-by-side through the theater's small parking lot towards her truck and his bike and he knows it's late – at least for a weekday, it's late – and they both have work tomorrow, but he finds himself wishing that they'd walk just a little bit slower. He has no idea when she crept up on him – when or why or how – but here he is, in the company of White Hill Baptist Church's youth coordinator and he doesn't want to leave it.

"So, um, next month, you know how they show _Halloween_ here every night for the whole of October?" Daryl asks.

Beth is still smiling and she looks at him, nodding.

"Would you wanna come and see it with me?" He manages to ask and he's amazed that he's able to get the question out without sounding like a general all-around idiot.

"Definitely," Beth agrees almost instantly. "It'll be my treat."

"Sure," Daryl snorts a little because there is no way he's going to let her pay. "So, um, what's your favorite horror movie?" He asks and he feels like despite being with her for the past few hours, he hasn't heard her voice nearly enough.

Why do people like going to go to movies for a date? You can't talk to each other during a movie. _Not_ that this, tonight with Beth, is a date, he swiftly reminds himself. She wants to be friends and that's what they'll be. He tells himself that he'd be damn lucky to have Beth Greene as his friend.

Beth tilts her head slightly to the side as if in such deep thought over his question. "I really love _Scream_. My favorite franchise though would have to be _Friday the 13_ _th_. I have a Jason Funko Pop," she then smiles.

Daryl doesn't know what that is, but he's already made a note to look it up later.

"Why do you like horror movies?" He can't help, but ask.

"I'm not allowed to like horror movies?" She asks and she's teasing, but he can also tell that she's genuinely curious by his answer. "Is it because I teach Sunday school?" She then asks.

"Yes." Daryl promised that he won't lie to her anymore.

Beth smiles a little. "I like horror movies because when I watch them and get scared, my heart starts pumping and it reminds me I'm alive."

Daryl's pretty sure that that's the weirdest answer he could have gotten to that question.

He wets his lips and his hands are shoved into his pockets. "Still, ain't your God against 'em or somethin'?"

"I wasn't aware that I was mimicking what I saw in any way," Beth quips in return.

They've reached her truck by this point, but instead of getting in, she opens the driver's door and reaches beneath the bench seat. She pulls out a blanket and shakes it out before grabbing the bag of dog food – Daryl taking it from her – as and heading towards the dumpster. Daryl follows after her, wanting to see if that dog is still there.

The dog is still there, curled into a ball beside the dumpster, his food dish empty. Seeing them both, the dog lifts his head and stares at them. He doesn't run away, but he doesn't even thump his tail in reaction.

"Hi, sweetie," Beth smiles at the dog, lowering herself to her knees so the dog won't be frightened. "I've brought you more food and a blanket, too. It looks like you aren't packing that much insulation and I don't want you to get cold tonight. Now, I'm going to get nearer. I promise. I am not going to hurt you."

Daryl watches as Beth crawls ever so slowly towards the animal. The dog watches her, unblinking, but he still doesn't seem to have any thought one way or another in regards to Beth getting closer to him. Daryl wonders if the dog is thinking what Daryl would be thinking if he was in this situation. If Beth was the one who had just put food in his belly and was coming towards him with a blanket, he wouldn't be running away either.

Well, technically, Daryl supposes that she _did_ put food in his belly that night; having ate his weight in trail mix over the past few hours.

"You gonna try and take 'im home with you?" Daryl asks as Beth, still moving so slowly, drapes the blanket across the dog, murmuring something so quietly to the animal as she does so, Daryl can't hear even with how good his hearing is.

Beth shakes her head and then slowly, she stands up again and then takes the bag from Daryl. She pours a bit more into the empty dish and nudges it a bit more closer to the dog.

"Not yet," Beth decides. "I'm going to come back tomorrow morning with more water and I'll see how he is. And if he lets me, I'll take him to my daddy then so he can be checked out."

"You gonna keep 'im?"

Beth looks to the dog with a soft smile on her face. He hasn't moved from beneath his blanket and instead, he seems to have actually snuggled himself deeper beneath it.

"If he lets me… He looks like he might need someone," Beth decides.

"You can post pictures of your new pup on your Instagram," Daryl suggests and Beth laughs softly at that.

"I didn't mean to complain about it. And it's something _so_ stupid to complain about," Beth says and she begins walking back to her truck, Daryl falling in step with her. "I have so much to be thankful for. I'm _alive_. I shouldn't be envious because other people have different things than me. _That's_ a sin."

Daryl's quiet at that. He wants to tell her that she's just a human and people are always jealous about all sorts of things and she shouldn't have to live her life how some book tells her to live.

He may be stupid in regards to a lot of things, but he's not _that_ stupid.

Beth's a church-going girl and one sure way to get her to never talk to him again is to criticize her for that.

"How old are you?" He asks.

"Twenty-four," Beth answers, turning and leaning back against the truck.

"Christ," he mutters to himself and Beth laughs softly. "Sorry," he then says, looking at her, feeling the tips of his ears turn red as she settles her eyes on him. "Jus' think that twenty-four is still young. You got plenty of time," he says and he wants to lean next to her, but he keeps himself standing in front of her, his hands, once again, crammed back into his pockets.

"None of us know that," Beth says with a shake of her head. "I could crash on the way home tonight."

"Don't say things like that," he frowns at her. "You teach your kids that kind of stuff?"

"No, but it's the truth. The big guy upstairs is the only one who knows for sure how much time any of us have. But thank you. I know what you're saying and the fact that you're even trying to make me feel better about stupid Instagram posts, like they mean _something_ … Thank you, Daryl."

Daryl shrugs. He feels completely out of depth with this girl; like everything he says has the potential to be the completely wrong thing to say and normally, he wouldn't care. If he hurts someone's feelings or offends someone and that someone isn't a part of his family, he doesn't care.

But talking with Beth right now, he is very aware of every single word that comes out of his mouth.

"I can't thank you enough for coming with me tonight," Beth switches topics and he's grateful for that.

Speaking of the big guy upstairs, the last thing Daryl wants to do is say something that insults Him and therefore in turn, insults Beth.

"Thanks for invitin' me. I've been wantin' to see this one, but watchin' Millie all of the time…" he trails off.

"Are you glad he's home?"

Daryl gives a nod. "Yeah. And 'm glad for him, too. He gets to be back with his family."

"I think it's so wonderful what you've done for the past six years. Taking care of Jenny and Millie like you have. I know some people wouldn't be able to or not want to step up like that."

Daryl shrugs like it's no big deal.

His body goes still when Beth pushes herself from the truck and stands in front of him, her fingers lightly touching his arm since his hands are still in his pockets.

"You're a really good man, Daryl, no matter what you think," Beth says. "Your actions show that."

"You don't know enough 'bout me to think that," Daryl says and he's not sure why.

If she thinks he's a good guy, why would he argue with her about that?

Because he promised her that he wasn't going to lie to her again.

And letting her think that he's a good guy is definitely a lie.

He's a Dixon. Dixons aren't good. They never have been and they never will be. Merle used to say there's something wrong with their family tree. Root rot or something like that. When a new Dixon enters the world, the world holds its breath in trepidation of the kind of shit this particular Dixon is going to get themselves into.

Millie might be the first Dixon ever born to have a fighting chance at being okay. At least she has something that Daryl and Merle never had when they were growing up – a set of loving parents and loving family and loving people in her life who take care of her and make sure that she has a good life.

Daryl never had that and he's made his fair share of bad mistakes. Not going-to-prison kind of mistakes, but bad mistakes all the same. If there was ever a time Daryl believed in God, that stopped a long time ago; probably the first time he felt his old man's belt on his back or the first time he had to steal food from the grocery store so he'd stop being hungry for a night. Good people don't grow up like he did and stay good.

Beth obviously can't read all of this thoughts, but she gives his arm a gentle squeeze. She then lifts herself on her toes and Daryl freezes when she kisses his cheek.

"Good night, Daryl," she smiles shyly and her cheeks are the prettiest shade of pink he's ever seen.

"Beth," Daryl blurts her name out just as she opens the truck door. She turns back towards him and she looks… hopeful? Maybe? Daryl can't be too sure. He's never had a girl ever look at him like that. "There's this new barbecue restaurant 've been wantin' to try out. Would you… do you like barbecue?"

"What kind of Southern girl do you think I am?" She teases and he smiles a little.

"Would you wanna go and try it out with me?" He asks.

If he thinks she'll hesitate or come up with an answer he knows he won't like, Daryl finds out that he has nothing to worry about.

"I would love to," she replies with a smile and Daryl finds himself smiling back. "I'm going to be taking pictures of my food," she then warns him.

Daryl hears himself letting out an actual laugh at that and Beth's smile is practically blinding now. He decides this smile is just as good as that shy smile of hers and her laugh.

…

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 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**

 **(Beth's faith and Daryl's lack of will be the main conflict in this story)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ugh. Work. Far too crazy lately. I hope you like this chapter - since it's Beth's POV, it has a bit of the religious angle. Next chapter will be Daryl's POV. I know there are some who don't really like the idea of the conflict I have planned for this story, but please, don't think I'm trying to convert anyone or want to preach to anyone. I am just writing two characters and what I feel like their personalities would have been like without zombies. Thank you!**

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…

Beth wakes up an hour earlier the next morning than she normally does, but even at the time she sees on her clock, Beth has a smile upon her face. She lays there for a moment and allows her eyes to full open themselves and to wipe all remnants of sleep from her brain.

"Today is going to be a good day," she whispers out loud to herself as she does every other morning.

Sometimes, no, it doesn't turn out to be a good day, but Beth has found that when she says this to herself, it helps herself put things into perspective. If she has a bad day with the kids or she gets a flat tire or one of her friends from Instagram posts a picture of their picture-perfect life, Beth reminds herself that things can always be so much worse. If those things are the worst things to happen to her, she's still quite lucky.

And with that, Beth pulls herself from her bed to begin her day.

As she went through her daily morning routine, she finds her thoughts drifting off, becoming occupied with Daryl Dixon and wondering what _his_ morning routine is. No matter how many times Beth sighs at herself and tells herself to knock it off, she can't seem to help herself and even if she gets her mind back, it takes just a few minutes before it's drifting off again and she's reliving the whole previous evening all over again.

She knows things can never be absolutely perfect – knows there's no such thing as perfect – but honestly, after last night, Beth might begin to think that that's as close to perfect as she'll probably ever get for herself. Finding that poor dog by the dumpster, Daryl helping her with that poor dog – never grumbling or complaining – and then seeing the movie with him, sharing trail mix and hiding her face in his arm. She's still embarrassed that she had told him how good he had smelled, but he _had_ smelled good. Like a pine tree and beneath that, the faintest hint of oil as if he has been working on a machine of sorts before seeing her.

She had liked it last night and this morning, she can still smell it in her nose – even in the shower when she should smell blueberry – and she definitely still likes it. She's still getting to know the man, but to Beth, that smell is completely Daryl and it's perfect.

He had then asked if she wanted to go see _Halloween_ with him _and_ had asked her out for some barbecue.

Beth has to tell herself more than once that these are all things _friends_ do together. Going to movies and going out to eat together. These are innocent activities that two single people who are just friends do all of the time and Daryl asking her to do these things, he is a friend asking his friend.

Beth hopes that the more she practices it in her mind, the word "friend" won't be so difficult to say. It shouldn't be. She's quite happy to have someone who is a friend. Her own parents have been able to sense her loneliness and having something in her life besides her parents – someone she can go see movies with and go out and try restaurants with – that should make her happier than anything.

And it does. It really does. She's so grateful that she now has someone who she can consider to be her friend and it doesn't matter that she has a crush on him. She won't let it matter because Daryl wants to be her friend and she'd rather have him as a friend in her life than just an uncle of one of her school students who picks his niece up every week and she sees him for not even a full minute at every week. Beth is not going to ruin having Daryl in her life just because of her stupid, going-nowhere crush.

Once her hair is dry, she gets dressed for the day in blue jeans and a soft, cream turtleneck sweater that she purposely bought one size too-large because sometimes, she just wants to "swim" in her clothes; especially in sweaters on crisp, fall days.

She tugs on her shoes – just her sneakers today – and gives her mirror's reflection one last bright smile before leaving her room, practically skipping down the stairs.

"Good morning!" She sings out happily to both her parents once coming into the kitchen.

Annette is standing at the stove and Hershel is reading his newspaper, sitting at the table, and both look up and smile upon seeing her.

"Good morning, dear."

"Good morning, Bethy."

Beth goes to Annette first, kissing her mom on the cheek before taking a mug down from the cabinet and pouring herself a cup of coffee. She then goes to Hershel and kisses him on the top of his head, earning a chuckle from him, and he smiles at her with those twinkling eyes of his as she sits down across from him.

"You're in a good mood for being up earlier than usual," Hershel notes.

Beth just smiles and shrugs. "It's going to be a good day. I can feel it." She takes a sip of her coffee. "I need your help with something, daddy. Would you be able to come to town with me this morning?"

"Is everything alright?" He asks.

"Hopefully," Beth says and smiles up at Annette when she sets a plate of scrambled eggs down in front of Beth before leaning down and kissing Beth's own top of the head.

As she eats her eggs and drinks her coffee, Beth thinks of the dog from last night. If she's not thinking of Daryl, she's thinking of that poor dog. She hopes and prays that he's still by the dumpster this morning and she hopes that he won't put up too much of a fight when she and her daddy get there to take him with them so Hershel can examine him. She hopes that he was warm enough last night and she hopes that he didn't eat all of the food she had put into his bowl at once and had gotten himself sick.

After the Greene family eats their breakfast and they all begin to help to clean up, Beth asks if Hershel can bring his medical bag with him. Hershel raises an eyebrow at that, but doesn't question it further as he leaves the kitchen to go wash up and gather whatever supplies he might need for whatever animal his daughter has found this time. As Beth told Daryl last night, she has spent her whole life, finding and caring for animals. She has often wondered, more than once, if she was, perhaps, supposed to become a veterinarian like Hershel instead of becoming a teacher. But she knows that if that was truly the path she was supposed to have taken in her life, God would have led her that direction.

"Are you going to tell me now?" Hershel asks once they are in the pickup truck and Beth is driving.

"Last night, before the movie, Daryl and I found a dog by the back dumpsters in the parking lot," Beth tells him. She also tells him about the food, water and blanket she had provided. "If we can manage it… do you think we can bring him back here? If we can get him strong and healthy again… I would love to have a dog."

Hershel is quiet for a moment at that, watching the road through the front windshield. "It'd be nice having a dog around the farm again. Might be able to keep those stubborn cows of ours in line," Hershel muses and Beth smiles to herself as she tries to obey the speed limit.

When she pulls into the theater parking lot, she's not surprised to find that there's no one else parked there this early in the morning since the theater doesn't start showing their movies until two in the afternoon, but she _is_ surprised when she sees a rather familiar motorcycle parked at the dumpsters and her heart promptly leaps up into her throat when she sees Daryl sitting on the ground, his back resting against one of the dumpsters. When he sees the pickup truck, Daryl gets to his feet as if he's been waiting for them to get here.

"Is he still here?" Beth asks as soon as she has parked and gotten out of the truck.

If she just focuses on the dog for a moment, she won't ask Daryl the thousand questions she wants to ask him; questions that really all revolve around wondering what he's doing here so early and how long he has been waiting and _why_ he has been waiting.

"He is," Daryl says with a firm nod and Beth sighs with relief.

Hershel, with his medical bag, comes to stand at Beth's side and Beth has no idea why, but she suddenly feels nervous. She has no reason to be, of course. It's not like her boyfriend and her daddy are meeting one another for the first time. This is her daddy meeting one of her _just_ friends. But she thinks of Zach, too, then and how much Hershel has always liked Zach and Zach and Daryl are certainly two very different men. Since he likes Zach, is he going to compare Daryl to him? Does this mean that he won't like Daryl since he is so different from her only serious ex-boyfriend?

"Daddy, this is Daryl Dixon. Daryl, this is my dad, Hershel Greene," Beth makes the proper introductions.

"Nice to meet you, son," Hershel says with a smile, holding out his hand.

"You, too," Daryl nods in return and shakes his hand. "Uh, I stopped by the Top Hat and Jenny gave me a sausage patty. I figured it wouldn' hurt to give the dog that for breakfast if he was still here. And he was."

With her heart still in her throat, Beth feels all of her other internal organs rush up to join it at his words.

He had thought to come and check on the dog this morning. He hadn't had to, but he had. He had gone to the restaurant to get a sausage patty and then had brought it back for the dog.

The words she had said to him the night before – the words he clearly hadn't believed himself – echoed in her mind as she looked up at him. _"You're a really good man, Daryl, no matter what you think."_

The dog is now sitting up, the blanket Beth had given him, bunched around him, and he watches as the three of them kneel down in front of him.

"Hi, sweetie," Beth smiles at the animal. "Do you remember me? I should have brought him sausage, too," she then smiles, looking at Daryl. "You're probably the person he far more prefers."

"You gave 'im all that food, water and this blanket," Daryl points out to her, his eyes settled on her.

"Yes, but none of those things are sausage," Beth laughs lightly.

Hershel speaks to the dog in the softest, gentlest tone that the man has, the tone always reserved for animals and children alike, and Beth smiles as the dog allows Hershel to use the stethoscope on him so his heart beat could be heard. The dog sniffs at Hershel curiously, but then he turns his eyes and settles them onto Beth. Beth smiles and wants to pet him – she feels like maybe he'll let her do so this morning – but she'll wait for her daddy to finish his exam.

"Any idea what kind he is?" Beth asks as Hershel now exams the pads of his paws.

"Bull terrier," Hershel answers. "He'll look better once he's got a bit more meat on his bones." The dog turns his head to look at Hershel at that, flicking one of his triangle ears at him. "My apologies," Hershel chuckles. "You look just fine. How about we get some meat on your bones just because?" He suggests.

The dog snorts at that and then turns his head, his eyes once more settling on Beth.

"Don't think my sausage patty convinced him of anythin'," Daryl says and Beth smiles a little at that.

"You wanna come home with us, fella'?" Hershel asks him.

The dog doesn't do anything in response to that except give his ear another flick.

"We're taking that as a yes," Beth decides happily. "I'll think we'll call you Frank."

Daryl snorts a little. "Where'd you come up with that?"

"He looks like a Frank," Beth says, giving Daryl a beaming smile. "Don't you think?"

Daryl is looking at her, too, with his lips twitching in a smile, and there's something about that – about Daryl almost smiling, but not quite actually doing it. It makes Beth feel like her stomach is churning, seconds away from throwing up everywhere. She wonders if Daryl ever feels like throwing up when he looks at her.

Oddly enough, if he ever does, she will take it as a compliment.

…

"Luke 17:5. The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' The Lord replied, 'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea', and it would obey you.'" Beth holds up the seed between her thumb and finger as they all sit on the carpet in a circle. "This is a mustard seed. See how very, very tiny it is?" She gently hands it to Jeremy, sitting next to her on her right, so he can look at it. "Pass it on so everyone can get a closer look." She smiles at the rest of the children. "Jesus gave His disciples the ability to heal people of all sorts of diseases, to prove to others that their message came from God. One man brought a demon-possessed child to the disciples. They should have been able to cast it out the demon, but they could not.

"When Jesus cast out the demon, they asked Him why they had failed. He answered that they didn't have enough faith. If they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could do anything."

There is a slight interruption when the seed drops between the pass off of Trevor and Millie and they look frantically on the carpet between them for a second before Millie triumphantly finds it again.

"See how tiny that mustard seed is?" Beth continues. "It's very, very tiny. But once planted, it grows into a plant large enough to provide a valuable food and shelter for animals. Jesus said a little faith can have incredible results. Who were the disciples to have faith in?"

"God!" The children exclaim.

"And is there anything God can't do?"

"No!"

Beth laughs a little, pleased and proud. "The disciples thought casting out a demon was too hard for them. Of course it was. They in themselves didn't have that ability. But can God cast out a demon? Of course. Can God do anything we ask of Him? Absolutely. So when we doubt, we are doubting God's ability. Alright?"

She is met with smiles and head nods and Beth smiles, too.

Class is almost done and the parents will be here soon. She has left the back door open a crack for Daryl to come in if he wishes. His chair against the wall is empty and waiting and Beth does her best to not look at the clock and wonder where he is. She hasn't heard his motorcycle yet, but she tries not to be preoccupied by it. He doesn't _have_ to come and sit in class even if he does get here. She knows he doesn't believe in this "stuff", as he puts it, and maybe he's just getting tired of listening in.

"Good!" Beth smiles warmly. "Time for our activity. Everybody, up, and get your Bibles!"

They are in the middle of filling in blanks with flashcards that Beth has made and have handed out to random students so they can leap up with their words when they are needed when service is over and the parents start to crowd just inside the door to watch.

"Matthew 19:26. But Jesus looked at them and said…"

"For mortals it is impossible!" Natalie jumps to her feet with excitement, holding up her card with the first part of the passage printed onto it.

"But for God, all things are possible!" Millie finishes with matching eagerness, practically bouncing on her toes, holding up her own card.

Beth laughs and claps happily for them and the other parents watching join in as well.

"You guys did so wonderful this week," Beth commends them all. "Remember! The same God who decided that this world needs sunsets and sunrises and chocolate cake decided that this world needs you to!"

And with that, class is over for the week. A few parents come up to speak with her and some of the kids come over to give her hugs before they leave the class with their parents and a few minutes later, it's just Beth and Millie.

"Do you mind helping me clean up a bit?" Beth asks.

Millie smiles. "I don't mind."

They gather the bibles, returning them to the back shelf, and then they gather the flashcards, Millie stacking them neatly on Beth's desk, as Beth turns the chairs over onto the tables so it's easier to for the carpet to be vacuumed later.

"You did so good today, Millie," Beth compliments her and like any six-year-old, when they receive a compliment from an adult – or anyone, Millie beams and seems to stand a little taller. It makes Beth smile. Together, they then begin wiping off the chalkboard and Beth can't help, but glance towards the clock. Daryl is hardly – if ever – late to pick Millie up. She doesn't want to start to worry – yet. "How is it with your dad being back home?" Beth asks the girl.

"It's great!" Millie exclaims with a happiness that doesn't surprise Beth at all. "He's there when I go to sleep and he's there when I wake up and I caught him and mama kissin' in the kitchen yesterday."

Beth smiles, too.

Millie continues. "He told me that he started goin' to church services when locked up and he wants to keep goin', but he doesn't know if he'd be welcome here."

"Of course he'd be welcome here," Beth responds to that without hesitating. "I'll speak with Pastor Douglas so I can speak to your dad and let him know that."

Millie seems relieved at that. "Maybe he can get Uncle Daryl to come, too."

Beth sets her eraser down once everything is wiped from the board and she looks to the clock again before back down to Millie. "Millie, why doesn't your Uncle believe in God? Do you know?" It's a very big question for a six-year-old, Beth knows, and yet, she can't help herself in asking it.

"Said God's never done anything for 'im," Millie answers and it sounds like she's reciting something; as if perhaps Daryl has said this around Millie more than once. "I try to tell 'im that that's not true and I tell 'im everything you tell us every week, but he doesn't seem to care."

Beth smiles faintly because the girl frowns at that; as if failing to convert her Uncle is troubling her deeply.

She kneels down in front of the girl. "You have to respect people and their beliefs, remember?"

"But when I die and go to Heaven, what am I gonna do without Uncle Daryl there, too?"

Beth brushes some wayward red strands of hair back from Millie's face. "Your Uncle Daryl might very well be in Heaven someday. Only God will know for sure. Just because Uncle Daryl doesn't believe in God doesn't mean that God doesn't believe in your Uncle Daryl."

Millie is quiet for a moment, thinking that over. "That's true," she then decides and Beth laughs softly.

They hear the motorcycle at the same time and Millie hurries to the back door, Beth following behind, opening it for her, seeing Daryl pulling into the gravel lot. He sees them both and turns off the bike, swinging himself off and coming towards them. Beth reminds herself to _not_ fan herself with her hand in front of him. Millie runs towards him and Daryl breaks into a smile, hefting her up and giving her a squeeze before setting her back down on her feet.

"Sorry 'm so late today," Daryl says, coming to a stop at the bottom of the back steps, looking up at Beth.

"It's alright. Millie helped me clean up," Beth says with a smile she can never seem to not wear lately while in this man's presence. She wonders if female and male friends smile this much when around each other. "Is everything alright?" She then asks.

"Yeah. I was jus'…" he trails off for a moment, looking up at her, and then clears his throat, his eyes dropping for a moment before lifting them once again to her. "I was makin' something for you and I lost track of time."

"Something for me?" Beth can't help, but ask with a widening smile and her heart speeding up.

She is very aware of Millie standing there, looking back and forth between the two of them as if she's watching a ball bounce back and forth, and she's smiling, too.

"Ain't nothin' special so don't get yourself too excited. Idea came to me last night and it took a bit longer than I thought it would," Daryl says.

"I don't care _what_ it is. You made me something."

Daryl just smirks and reaches into his pocket, pulling out something small enough to fit into his palm. She gasps when he holds it out for her to see and take. It's a butterfly carved from wood.

"Like that one lesson you gave a few weeks ago," Daryl explains and his ears are so red right now, poking through his hair, and Beth can't stop staring down at the intricately carved figure. She turns it over and over with the utmost care, wanting to see every single detail. "I, uh, 'member what you said about butterflies, too. 'bout when a butterfly comes out of its cocoon, it has new life because then it's beautiful and free."

Beth feels tears stinging her eyes and she lifts them to look at him.

"Thought it'd make a good Instagram post or somethin'."

And that's the last thing Daryl is able to say before Beth steps down one step so she is more of the same height as him and even with Millie watching – and now giggling behind her hand – Beth throws her arms around his shoulders and hugs him as tight as she can, the butterfly clutched in her hand.

…

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 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	11. Chapter 11

…

Daryl scowls at his reflection and calls himself an idiot more than once, but he can't seem to get himself to stop looking at his appearance in the mirror he has hanging on the back of his bedroom door. He doesn't look any different than how Beth usually sees him. He's wearing jeans and a tee-shirt. The dark jeans are washed without any of his usual tears or holes in them and his tee-shirt is plain black. His hair is messy as it usually is and it takes all of his strength to not stand in the bathroom, fussing over it. At least it's not as long as it used to be. He doesn't know in the slightest, but he thinks that Beth wouldn't go for guys with long hair.

He exhales a heavy sigh and has to remind himself. Again. He doesn't care what kind of guys Beth goes for.

All he cares about is that he brushed his teeth and that he doesn't smell like an ashtray.

They're just going to get some barbecue together and it's going to be just like when they saw _IT_ together. They're going as two friends who want to eat the same thing for dinner. It's nothing more than that.

Daryl can't help, but wonder why he has to remind himself of that so many times and he wonders why his stupid, worthless brain can't seem to grasp that. He and Beth are friends. He likes being her friend. He likes that she wants to go see movies with him and go eat barbecue with him and he still remembers the way her entire face had lit up when he gave her that little butterfly carving. He likes making her happy. As a friend.

Woodcarving is one of those things he picked up and taught himself how to do. He figured it was a good way to pass the time when he wasn't working on his bike or out in the woods, hunting. He has seen enough times what a person can get up to when their hands aren't occupied with something and he's always liked being able to take something that most people would think isn't anything special to begin with and making something from that nothing.

And when he handed Beth that butterfly and the way she had burst into a smile and threw her arms around him in a hug as if she has never gotten anything better than that in her entire life, Daryl's pretty sure he's going to remember her reaction for as long as he lives. Beth is always so pretty, but when she smiles… that girl damn near makes him almost forget how to breathe and Daryl knows that that's why his brain always seems to forget that he and Beth are just friends. Friends don't forget how to breathe when around friends.

Knowing that if he doesn't leave now, he's never going to, Daryl finally stops preening over himself in the mirror and grabbing his black coat and making sure he has his wallet and keys, he finally leaves the bedroom in the back of his trailer, heading into the front. His trailer has a little kitchen and a living space. He has left the television on as he has gotten himself ready and he turns it off now, setting the controller down on the TV stand where he always keeps it. He then takes a quick look around.

As always, his trailer is neat and orderly and clean. Just the way he likes it. This trailer is his first home where it's just him. He doesn't have to share this space with anyone and for the first time in his life, he's able to have things the way he likes them. He remembers these plates his mom used to have with little blue flowers painted on them and how when his old man was drunk – which was all of the time – he smashed every one of those plates and the sharp pieces were all over the floor and Will Dixon hadn't let any of them clean it up until the next day. Ever since then, they ate off of paper plates and drank out of plastic cups, but now that Daryl is on his own, he has real plates in his cabinets, buying a set for himself at the thrift store in town.

Broken things aren't lying around. Random pieces of trash aren't lying around. Empty beer bottles aren't lying around. Daryl picks up after himself, takes the trash out, makes his bed every morning and he even dusts every weekend. He always makes sure his home doesn't smell bad either. He's bought himself a little air freshener that he plugs in and the whole place smells like a cup of coffee.

To others who come into his trailer, it probably doesn't seem like much of anything to them, but to Daryl, this trailer is one of the best things he has in his life. His very own home where he feels safe. To people who have never gone through things like Daryl, they don't understand how important feeling safe can be to a person.

Finally leaving, he closes and locks the door behind him and heads to his motorcycle. If he was picking Beth up, he would drive his pickup truck, but they'll be meeting at the restaurant tonight. It's getting colder out and soon, Daryl will park it away for the next few months, but he's got a couple of more weeks before the cold weather really sets in and until then, he's going to ride his bike as much as he can.

Down the road, he can see his brother's trailer and the lights on inside and he also notices a car he doesn't recognize parked out front. He wonders if it's Merle's parole officer, making a surprise visit, but the man usually doesn't come in the evenings like this on Fridays. Curious, Daryl walks himself and his bike over.

The front door is open and Daryl climbs the steps and pulls open the screen door, letting himself inside.

Millie is sitting at the kitchen table, coloring a page in her coloring book, and she lifts her head, smiling the instant she sees him. "Hi, Uncle Daryl!" She greets happily before getting back to her coloring, humming softly to herself as she swings her legs back and forth in her chair.

Daryl sees Merle sitting up in the recliner and Daryl recognizes the man sitting on the couch instantly. Pastor Douglas from White Hill Baptist. Both men look and when they see that it's Daryl, they both smile and get to their feet.

"Hi, baby brother," Merle smiles widely, coming to him and clapping a hand on his back. "This is Pastor Douglas from the church."

"Hello, Daryl," the pastor says, holding out his hand.

Daryl pauses for a moment before reaching out and shaking it. "Everythin' alright?" He asks, looking to Merle.

"You bet," Merle says, still smiling. "The good Pastor was just coming to talk to me about church services. I got in the habit of goin' while locked up and I would like to keep that habit goin'."

Daryl's not too sure what to say to that, but he manages a head nod. He looks back to the Pastor. He's got nothing against the man. He doesn't really know him even though he's been dropping off and picking Millie up from Sunday School in the man's church for the past two years. Daryl figures he's a good guy. He runs a big church with plenty of people who come back every week so he must be a good preacher.

Still though, being around a man of the cloth makes Daryl a bit nervous.

He wants to go eat some barbecue with Beth; not have some guy trying to get him to accept God as his Lord and Savior. If Merle is going to go to church, good for him. That's Merle's decision. Daryl has better things to do. Like go out with Beth tonight.

"You headin' out?" Merle asks, able to sense Daryl's growing discomfort.

"Yeah. I'll let you get back to…" Daryl is unsure how to finish that sentence. Meeting? Jesus talking?

So instead, he doesn't say anything and gives both Pastor Douglas and Merle head nods before turning to leave. Millie drops her crayon and hurries from the table to Daryl. Daryl smiles and crouches down so he and Millie can hug one another.

"Bein' good for your daddy?" Daryl asks.

"Always," Millie promises him and Daryl smirks as Merle and Pastor Douglas both chuckle. "See you tomorrow?" She then asks Daryl.

"Course you will," Daryl readily promises and kisses her on the forehead as he stands straight again.

"Have fun with Ms. Greene!" Millie calls out after him as he pushes open the screen door.

Daryl freezes and looks back to her. He has no idea how the hell Millie knows he's going out with Beth tonight. He then looks to Merle and Pastor Douglas – Beth's _boss_ – and Merle is grinning while Pastor Douglas looks as if he wants to smile, but is controlling himself.

Daryl looks back to Millie with slightly narrowed eyes and she just giggles.

Again, Daryl has no idea what to say. What can he possibly say anyway in this situation? So he just leaves and heads back to his bike. He's not going to think about how much shit and teasing his family is going to give him tomorrow when he sees them again. Right now, he's just going to think about getting some barbecue with Beth and he's not going to think about anything, but that.

He's definitely not going to think about just the _idea_ of seeing her again is making it hard to breathe.

…

Beth is already there when he pulls his truck into the parking lot. She's always here before him and Daryl vows that one of these times they go out somewhere together, he is going to be the first to get there so he is the one waiting for her.

She is waiting in her car and when she sees him pull into the empty spot next to her car, she gives him a beaming smile and gets out, closing the door behind her and locking everything behind her. Daryl turns off his bike and Beth comes to stand at his side.

"Hi!" She greets him and he wonders if anyone has ever been as happy as she seems to be in this moment.

"Hey," he says back to her. "You been waitin' long?"

She shakes her head. "Just a few minutes, but there was a song I really loved playing on the radio so it didn't seem that long to me at all."

Daryl swings himself off from his bike. "What song?" He asks curiously.

He finds himself always asking her questions; _wanting_ to answer her questions. He wants to know everything about her because he's never met anyone like her. She looks at the world around her with the rosiest-colored sunglasses he has ever seen someone wear. She honestly believes the world is a good place filled with good people. He doesn't know if its naivety or just a level of stupidity he can't comprehend. Or maybe it's neither. Maybe she really thinks the world is a good place because to her, she has never experienced anything that would make her think something otherwise.

"It's a Tracy Chapman song. _Fast Car_. I haven't heard it in forever and I forgot how much I love it," she smiles.

Daryl doesn't say anything to that because he doesn't know the song, but he makes a note to himself to look the song up once he gets home just like he looked up that Jason Funko Pop to know what the hell she was talking about. There's a lot he's ignorant about. He likes the things he likes and he doesn't really care about learning anything more than that.

"How did you find out about this place?" Beth asks as they begin heading across the parking lot towards the restaurant, warm lights pouring through the windows and muted music playing inside. It's a cool night, but it's a nice one and the restaurant has an attached patio, people sitting at the tables under the strings of lights, laughing and talking.

The restaurant is called 'Best Butts' and has a neon sign shaped like a pig.

Daryl shrugs. "Thought I'd show you a fancy night out," he replies with a dry tone and it makes her laugh.

He smiles a little at the sound. Like the beaming smile she had given him when he had given her the butterfly carving, he's pretty sure that he loves her laugh just as much. And he's not even going to correct himself at the use of the word _love_ because that's the word that makes the most sense when thinking of Beth's laugh.

He reaches past her and opens the main door for her and Beth smiles and he can see her cheeks turning pink. He tells himself that she's blushing because of him.

"Would you like to sit on the patio?" The hostess asks as she takes two menus.

Daryl looks to Beth for an answer.

"Only if you want to," Beth says to Daryl.

Daryl looks back to the hostess. "The patio," he says and he catches Beth's small smile. He then takes a step back so Beth can walk after the hostess first and Daryl follows her through the restaurant onto the patio.

She's wearing blue jeans again and he wonders how someone can get jeans on that are so tight – let alone get jeans that tight off again at the end of the day. They hug her legs and Daryl tells himself that friends _do not_ look at their friends' legs and friends definitely do not look at their friends' asses in tight jeans.

At their table – a square heavy wood table with bench seating – Beth smiles and thanks the hostess as she takes a menu and Daryl slides in across from her, taking his menu and not saying anything.

"I am starving," Beth says when it's just the two of them.

"Get whatever you wan'," Daryl tells her. "This is my treat."

"Nope," Beth shakes her head. "You paid for _IT_. It's my turn."

"Sure," Daryl says and he knows there's no way in hell that she's going to be paying for their meal tonight.

"Why do I have a feeling that you're just saying that even though you have every intention of still paying?" Beth guesses and Daryl smirks a little, glancing at her before looking to the menu. "Daryl," she says.

"Beth," he replies.

Beth sighs and rolls her eyes. "So, what looks good?" She asks, looking down to her own menu and Daryl has a feeling that she's not letting this go; just moving on for the moment. After just a second of looking over the restaurant's offerings, she puts her menu down and looks around the patio with a faint smile on her face.

Daryl watches the way the lights strung all over seem to twinkle off of her hair. She looks beautiful. Can friends think friends are beautiful? This whole friends thing is confusing as hell.

"You already know what you're gettin'?" Daryl asks.

Beth looks back to Daryl, that same faint smile on her face. "Yep. The pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. Whenever I go to a new barbecue place, I always try their pulled pork sandwich first."

"How come?"

"Because it's very easy to get pulled pork from a can and I want to see if it's _real_ barbecue," Beth explains.

The waitress appears then, setting down a basket of complimentary cornbread, and asks if they would like anything to drink. Both Daryl and Beth order themselves Dr. Pepper and after Beth orders her pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw, Daryl hands his menu back to the waitress.

"Same for me," Daryl orders.

Beth smiles at him as the waitress leaves and Daryl smiles a little, too, helping himself to a piece of cornbread. Beth does, too, and she lets out a soft moan with her first bite.

Daryl turns his head to look away from her for a moment. He really wished he could have gone through the rest of his life without knowing what Beth Greene sounds like when she moans because now that he knows what she sounds like, making the noise, Daryl knows he's going to be hearing that moan in his ears forever.

"I'm glad we're doing this," Beth says once she has swallowed her bite of cornbread.

"Comin' to Best Butts?" He asks, half-kidding, and Beth lets out a soft laugh.

"Well, of course, coming to Best Butts," she smiles and he smiles a little, too. "But this." She waves a hand back and forth between them. "Spending time together and doing things together. I don't…" she trails off for a moment and pulls apart a small piece from the cornbread in her hand. "I don't have that many friends," she then confesses.

Daryl swallows his own mouthful of cornbread. "How about Zach?"

"Zach and I are friends," she agrees. "But he's off, living his own life, and I'm here, living mine, and it's hard to get together all of the time, obviously. And then the friends I have from college, we're just becoming very different people. And actually, there's not that many of my friends from high school still around."

"I know what you mean. I got the people I work with, but…" it's his turn to let his words trail off.

But no one he would rather go to dinner with other than Beth. He looks at this girl across from him and he barely knows her, but he just wants to keep spending all of his free time with her. And he's never felt this way towards someone before – especially a girl – but deep down, he knows that this is more than just wanting to be a friend. He wants something more. What that more is, he doesn't know. He's never really been in a relationship before despite his age. He never liked or trusted people when he was a kid and that sure as hell hasn't changed as he's gotten older.

But sitting across from Beth, for some reason, he can imagine himself doing this a thousand more times with her. Maybe even more times than that.

Daryl can't say that to her though. She just said she doesn't have a lot of friends and she thinks of him as a friend. And Daryl isn't looking to do anything to mess that up. If Beth wants him as a friend, he will gladly stay her friend if that means staying in her life.

Beth smiles at him and takes out her cell phone from her purse. "Can I take your picture with the cornbread?" She asks and she's fidgeting a little, clearly nervous with her request.

"Don't you wan' a picture of yourself with the cornbread instead?" Daryl asks. "You'd take a prettier picture than me."

Beth laughs at that, her cheeks pink again. "You're far cuter than you give yourself credit, Daryl Dixon."

With that, Beth's face promptly explodes in flames and Daryl feels the tips of his ears turn red, too, but at the same time, he feels a warmth in his chest from her words. Beth thinks he's cute. That's pretty much the best thing anyone has ever said to him.

"Jus' one picture," Daryl relents. "And show it to me 'fore you post it. I ain't havin' a picture out there that shows me with a double chin or somethin' like that."

Beth begins laughing at that and she does her best to stop so she can take the picture with a steady hand, but she can't seem to and Daryl takes a bite of cornbread, smiling a little around the piece in his hand.

"There," Beth clicks the camera, still laughing, and she turns the screen around so he can see the shot.

Daryl's never liked getting his picture taken, but if Beth keeps laughing like that and looking so happy like she is right now, he already knows he's going to be a star on her Instagram account – he still has no idea what Instagram is – and he's not even going to complain about it.

…

* * *

 **Who is going to crack first? We'll find out in the next chapter. And we'll see more of Frank the dog!**

 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to comment!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I lied. Frank will be in the next chapter. And it felt like this chapter took me forever and I don't even know why. I don't even know if I'm happy with how it turned out, to be honest.**

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…

 _"_ _Farewell, vain world! I'm going home!_

 _My savior smiles and bids me come,_

 _And I don't care to stay here long._

 _Sweet angels beckon me away,_

 _To sing God's praise in endless days._

 _And I don't care to stay here long._

 _"_ _I'm glad that I am born to die._

 _From grief and woe my soul shall fly,_

 _And I don't care to stay here long._

 _Bright angels shall convey me home,_

 _Away to New Jerusalem,_

 _And I don't care to stay here long._

 _Right up yonder, Christians, away up yonder,_

 _Oh, yes my Lord, for I don't care to stay here long."_

Beth is smiling as she plays the last keys on the piano and then she is instantly on her feet, clapping.

"That was so awesome, everyone!" She enthusiastically tells them all with a broad smile on her face. A few parents have come early to pick their kids up from practice and they clap as well from their pews.

The teenagers standing on the choir stands all beam with pride as Beth, their youth coordinator and choir director, comes around her piano to stand in front of them.

"Sing it just like that during service on Sunday and you are going to blow everyone away. I know it," she says and she can't stop smiling. They have been practicing this song for weeks and now, it sounds just perfect.

The White Hill Baptist Youth Choir consists of teenagers ranging from thirteen to eighteen. There is a children's choir as well with kids from six to twelve. Beth is in charge of running both and it is her work with the youth choir that has Pastor Douglas recruiting her to help him with the adult choir as well. There have already been rumors that Ms. Greene can take the youth choir on a tour if she wants. Beth's not too sure about that though. Some of those choirs that go on the church revival circuit are pretty hardcore and she doesn't know if she wants to expose her kids to that.

Beth's phone is sitting on top of the piano and she hits the button to see what time it is. It's about one more minute until seven o'clock and she also sees that has several notifications from Instagram.

"Alright," she turns her attention back to the teenagers and they stop their momentary chatter. "Remember to be here on Sunday by 9:45 for warmups and to change into your robes."

She has already made the announcement that Sunday school that week will start a little later than usual. Pastor Douglas has two services every Sunday. One at eight a.m. and the other at ten. Beth always attends the eight a.m. service and then her Sunday school class is during the ten a.m. service. This week however, with the youth choir performing the opening song, and Beth going to be accompanying them, Sunday school will be forty-five minutes instead of the usual full hour.

"I am so proud of every single one of you and you are going to do so amazing on Sunday," Beth says, smiling at each and every one of them. "Alright. We're done. Have a wonderful night."

The kids disperse then, chattering with excitement as they all embark, saying goodnight to Ms. Greene, finding their parents or going outside the church to wait to be picked up from there. Soon, Beth is alone in the quiet church and she sits down at the piano again. She plays through the song once more – just to perfect her own part – and she hums along, imagining the words in her head.

Once she's satisfied that she'll do fine on Sunday as well, she leans forward and takes her phone, sitting back on the bench and swiping the screen awake.

She had posted the picture of Daryl from dinner a couple of nights earlier – with Daryl's permission, of course – onto her Instagram account and it's somewhat amazing to her how many likes she has gotten. Not that it means anything, she knows that, and yet, she feels this ridiculous sense of happiness from it. She knows that's absolutely insane and this is the problem with social media. It makes people feel far too important as they brag about things in their life, making others feel awful in the process.

Beth knows it doesn't matter in the far grander scheme of things, but she likes it nonetheless that people liked her post of Daryl smiling and eating his piece of cornbread.

She has three more likes and two new comments. One is from Zach and is simply the thumbs up emoji and the winking face emoji. Beth feels her cheeks warm even though the comment is perfectly harmless. She's just glad that Daryl doesn't have his own Instagram account or even knows how look hers up. She knows that he'd probably be embarrassed if he saw all of the fuss people were making over him. More than one of her female friends from college had commented on how hot Daryl Dixon is and if she's "hitting" that and if she isn't, one of them gladly will. She's _quite_ relieved that Daryl doesn't have Instagram.

She still feels the mortification burning in her chest if she thinks about how she had said that she thought he was cute to his face the other night at dinner.

The second comment is from Best Butts' official Instagram account.

 **BESTBUTTSOFFICAL:** Great picture! We would love to post it on our account if you wouldn't mind!

Beth smiles as she types a response.

 **MSBETHGREENE:** Thank you very much! I am going to have to ask him, but I will let you know!

Beth closes out of Instagram with a smile and she shakes her head for being ridiculous.

She decides to send a text to Daryl. She knows it's his work phone, but he gave her the number and said that if she ever needs him, it's the best way to reach him. And it isn't as if she needs him right now, but she can't seem to stop herself from bringing his contact information.

 _You're becoming quite famous_ , she texts him, biting her bottom lip as she smiles.

Without waiting for a response, Beth stands up and begins straightening up her sheet music. She doesn't expect Daryl to text her back. There's something about him that makes Beth think he's not much of a texter. Still, she's surprised when not even a minute passes and her phone begins to ring. She knew he wouldn't text, but she hasn't been expecting him to call either.

"Hello?" She answers, unable to keep the smile from her face.

"All because of damn cornbread?" His grumbling voice fills her ear and she lets out a soft laugh.

"Pretty much. It really is a good picture of you," she says.

She scans the church one more time and then seeing that she has everything and everything is straightened up, she heads for the front doors to lock them up for the night.

She doesn't like being the last in the church at night, but sometimes, it just happens that way.

"Do you mind…" Beth begins to speak, but then trails off. "Do you mind staying on the phone with me? I have to check and see that everything is locked up and I'd feel better if I was on the phone with you in case…"

She trails off. In case what? In case someone breaks into the church and murders her and Daryl will be able to hear it all from over the phone?

No. Honestly, even with having him over the phone, she feels safe with him.

"You by yourself in the church?" Daryl asks.

"I had choir practice and Pastor Douglas had to go to the home of an elderly man who just lost his wife," Beth says as she checks on the side doors. "It's alright. Really."

Daryl doesn't say anything from the other end, but she can rustling as if he is putting something on. And though she can't see him, Beth seems to be able to guess exactly as to what he's doing.

"Daryl, it's alright. I mean it. You don't have to come here," she says.

Daryl grumbles something and it's not clear enough, but Beth is pretty sure he just called her stubborn.

"I'll be there in jus' a few minutes," Daryl says and she can hear doors opening and closing and a moment after that, she can hear the rumble of his truck engine starting. "Tell me somethin'," he then requests.

"What would you like me to tell you?"

"Anythin'. I jus' like…" he trails off for a moment and Beth heads back towards the front of the church to wait for him. She won't admit it to him, but she already feels better, knowing that he's coming. "I jus' like you hearin' you talk," he admits honestly and Beth is grateful that he can't see her because she can certainly feel the heat that passes over her skin from his words.

Beth thinks of what she can talk about until he gets here. She's about to tell him about choir practice that evening before she stops herself. She can't imagine that Daryl would care that much about that. And Beth tells herself that she's not going to let it bother her. She's sure there are some things that interest Daryl that wouldn't be the same for her.

"Frank is doing well," Beth says. "He's already gained quite a bit of weight and my daddy says that every day I leave, he sits in the hallway, waiting for me to get back home for at least an hour or two. And when I do get home, he follows me everywhere."

"Didn' think that dog was a stupid dog. He knows who saved 'im," Daryl replies.

"Have you ever seen _Oliver!_?" Beth asks. "It's a musical from the sixties about _Oliver Twist_. Anyway, the main bad guy, Bill Sikes, he had a bull terrier just like Frank. White just like the one in the story and everything."

"I'm tryin' to think. Jenny loves musicals and she's made me watch more than one of 'em," Daryl says. "Might have to rent it to see what you're talkin' about."

"You don't have to go through that trouble. I can google a picture of him for you," Beth says and she does her best to not smile from his words. He's so sweet and he doesn't even realize it. She likes, though, that he seems to really listen to her when she talks. Even if he doesn't know what she's talking about, he still listens.

He, after all, carved her a wooden butterfly based on one of her Sunday school lessons that he had sat in and apparently listened to even though by now, Beth knows just how little he thinks of God and religion.

Maybe she _can_ tell him about that evening's choir practice. She's excited for it. The youth choir performs every other week at the ten o'clock service and even though it may not seem anything special, Beth is always so proud of them nonetheless. All of the kids – both in the youth and the children's choirs – absolutely love singing and love God and they love singing about God in church. They look forward to it and work so hard to be as good as they can be.

Again though, Beth keeps herself from mentioning it. Daryl might listen, but that doesn't mean he'll care. No, he definitely won't care. To be friends, she will have to keep things from him; things that happen to her during her days that she won't share with him.

Standing at the glass doors, she sees Daryl's pickup truck pull into the parking lot and he gets out, walking towards the doors. Beth undoes the lock and opens one of the doors with a smile.

"You really did not have to come all of this way," she tells him as she ends the call.

He steps in and watches as she pulls the door closed and locks it once again.

"Don't like the idea of you here all by yourself at night like this," Daryl says.

"It's not the first time."

Daryl shrugs. "Don't like that idea either."

Beth feels her heart tumble about all over her chest at his words. He's not being sweet. He's being nice. And yes. There is a difference. Nice is between friends. Sweet is what a guy is to a girl when he has feelings for her. And since she and Daryl are _just_ friends, he is being nice.

"There's no reason why they still won't be, but I just want to check all of the doors in the back and make sure that they're locked," Beth tells him.

"Lead the way," Daryl says.

They enter the quiet, large church space and Beth crosses herself as she always does at the large cross on the wall, behind the altar. From the corner of her eye, she sees Daryl looking at her as she does it, but she doesn't look at him. She refuses to feel embarrassed and why does she get the feeling that if she looks at Daryl as he looks at her, embarrassed is exactly how she'll feel?

In the back of the church, there are offices, classrooms, meeting rooms and the daycare that the Church runs during the week for working parent parishioners. Her classroom, Pastor Douglas's office and the daycare are the only rooms with door leading outside from the back and Daryl follows her as she walks into each of these rooms, making sure that they are locked even though she locked them herself hours earlier and no one else has been back here to unlock them.

"I like this room," Daryl says suddenly, quietly, once they step into her classroom.

Beth can't help, but be surprised. "Do you?" She asks and Daryl gives his head a single nod as he looks around – at the various artwork by the children, the bulletin boards, the posters she has hanging on the walls. He pauses at one poster that shows a cartoon Moses standing on the mountain with two stone tablets in his arms. She sees him smirk a little at it and she knows that he's probably thinking of Mel Brooks.

She checks the door. Still locked. She then turns back towards him.

"Millie's worried for you," Beth says before she can stop herself and she nearly slaps her hand over her mouth. That is something she has never, _ever_ wanted to say to Daryl.

Daryl though just gives another nod and leans back against the front of her desk. "Yeah, I know. She thinks 'm gonna die and go straight to Hell 'cause I don't believe in God or Heaven. I've asked her that if I don't believe in Heaven, why am I gonna believe in Hell, but she never has an answer for that."

Beth immediately opens her mouth to respond to that, but she clamps it shut just as quickly. Daryl notices – Daryl seems to notice everything – and he gives her a little smile.

Seeing that smile of his though, she can't help herself then. "Millie is only six. You can't have theological discussions with her."

"But can I have them with you?" Daryl asks and he's smirking a little and if Beth hadn't been sure before, she's definitely certain of it now.

Daryl Dixon is making fun of her now.

She frowns at him, her eyes slightly narrowed. "No."

Her answer is simple and emphatic and it clearly surprises Daryl. She knows that he was expecting her to jump all over the chance of discussing religion with him.

And she can't explain it, but she just feels… disappointed that he is trying to bait her.

"Beth," he says her name, pushing himself off the desk and reaching out, grabbing her hand when she begins to walk past him to leave the room. "'m sorry. I'm a dick."

"You're really not though," she shakes her head, lifting her eyes to look into his.

"Yeah, I am. I jus' don't know how to talk to you."

"Just talk to me, Daryl," she says. "Yes, I teach Sunday school and I work at a church and I believe in all of this _stuff_ , but I'm more than that. I was showing you that I am. You don't…" she swallows. " _Don't_ ," she decides to say much more firmly. "Make fun of me."

"I'm sorry," Daryl says again and Beth notices that he is still holding her hand. She wonders if he notices, too. "I feel like I'm always messin' up with you," he then sighs.

"You're not," Beth wants to assure him because she doesn't like where this conversation could possibly go. "I'm actually really easy."

Daryl looks at her and then a moment later, his lips begin to quirk and Beth feels her cheeks warm.

"Not like that," she says and Daryl is still holding her hand and staring into her face and her cheeks feel warm for a very different reason now. "I just mean, don't lie and don't make fun of me. That's it. And actually, those are two very good general rules to live by."

That makes Daryl smile a little, but it fades as he continues staring at her. And Beth doesn't know what else to do except stare right back at him. She finds herself holding her breath because there's something in the air right now that she hasn't felt since college and Zach and the anticipation that comes from a man staring at her like Daryl is right now. He's going to kiss her. He looks like he's going to kiss her. She _hopes_ he's going to kiss her and she can't bring herself to breathe as if keeping hold of all of the air in her lungs will make him move his lips forward until they meet hers.

Beth is convinced time has stopped. Or maybe, time hasn't stopped at all and it's still moving and time is just stretching on and on and Daryl isn't doing anything. He's holding her hand and staring at her, but he's not moving any closer. He's not talking or kissing her and it looks like he's not breathing either.

This is ridiculous, Beth thinks to herself. She wants him to kiss her, but what's stopping her from kissing him? He's staring at her and his eyes seem almost black and she knows that he _wants_ something. She doesn't think she's reading him completely wrong.

Well, Beth supposes that there's only one way to tell if she's wrong or not.

Mind made up, Beth moves forward an inch, the space between them closed enough for their toes to touch. She then tilts her head up slightly, giving him a signal clear as day as to what she wants from him, but she's still not going to wait for him. She is a grown woman and she knows what she wants. She can only hope that it's the same thing that Daryl Dixon wants, too.

With a quick prayer that she's not about to just mess everything they've been able to share between them already – ruining the friendship they have managed to build – but she decides that she can't back away now. Daryl is staring at her as she brings herself to stand on her toes, her eyes almost completely even with his.

Daryl doesn't let her move any closer though. He finally moves now and his other hand lifts and comes to the back of her head. She has just enough to gasp sharply before Daryl pulls her head forward, towards his, and then Beth feels his lips on hers.

She almost immediately sags against his, his kiss taking all strength from her, and Daryl lets go of her hand only so his arm can wrap around her waist and pull her body tightly against his; his other hand still fisted in her hair. Beth lifts her hands so she can cup his cheeks and she kisses him back, matching his pressure immediately, pressing her lips against his and hearing a soft moan rise from the back of her throat.

How is she supposed to ever teach in this classroom again for her Sunday class after this?

The thought makes her giggle and she's not able to stop it.

"Didn' think I was that bad at this," Daryl murmurs, his lips slowly pulling back from hers.

"No, no," she quickly shakes her head, opening her eyes to find him looking at her. "That was so lovely."

Daryl looks at her for a moment. "Well, I know you ain't the type to lie so I'm gonna believe you."

"And you? Did you like it?" She asks and she expects him to smile at her question, but instead, he's stares at her with a solemn face.

"'m beginnin' to think that there really is a Heaven," Daryl replies.

Beth feels her heart flip at that and she manages to smile faintly. She can't explain where it comes from, but she leans in and tenderly brushes her nose against his. "That was surprisingly cheesy," she comments.

"Yeah," Daryl says and he's smiling a little now. "Almost wish I could take that back as soon as I said it."

That makes Beth shake her head though, her smile growing a bit. "I'm glad you can't. It's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

Daryl leans forward now and Beth's eyes slowly drift shut as he brushes his nose now against hers. "That don't seem right to me," he says quietly and his hand from the back of her head moves around, his fingers gently gliding down the line of her jaw.

"Well…" Beth decides to be brave again. "You'll have more tries to say sweet things to me. If you want."

Daryl's hand moves from her jaw to the side of her neck, his hand big enough for his thumb to swipe along her cheek, and he moves in again, kissing her once more. Beth's heart flips and tumbles about in her chest and she has read about love for her entire life. Her entire life has been built around love – God's love for her and her love for God – but she has never experienced any kind of love like that.

She loves her parents, of course, and her other family and she loves all of the kids she has taught, but actual love? Love that makes her want to throw up and fly all at the same time? She's read and studied about all-consuming love like that, but she's never experienced it for herself.

Right now, with her insides churning all around, she wonders if she's finally feeling some sort of love like that. It has to be. She's never felt this before, but Daryl is kissing her and she feels so many things at once, she can't even focus her mind on those things one at a time so she can attempt to register and think.

She wonders what Daryl is feeling right now as they kiss. She wonders if he's ever been in love. She wonders if he feels like his insides are all trying to escape. She wonders so many things about him and she hopes that they are things she'll be able to find out. But right now, she wonders how long he is going to kiss her.

…

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 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I _love_ this chapter and I hope you do, too!**

* * *

…

"Do you love Ms. Greene?"

Daryl can't help, but frown down to his niece. "Damn, girl. What kind of question is that?"

Millie just smiles, almost giggles, and takes the plate Daryl hands her so she can dry it. She shrugs. "You seem happy," she tells him.

Daryl wants to argue with her on that, but the thing is, he can't find reason to deny it. He _is_ happy. He can't remember the last time he was happy like this. Hell, sometimes he finds himself actually smiling for no reason. He'll just be changing lightbulbs in the courthouse or mowing the grass at the town hall and all of a sudden, he's smiling. It's weird. He's pretty sure the muscles in his face are hurting.

"Are you going to marry her?" Millie asks next.

"Christ, girl," he mutters, rinsing the soap suds off the next plate under the running water.

"Quarter, Uncle Daryl," Millie gives him a grin.

"Yeah, yeah." He hands her the last plate and rinses his hands off before turning the sink off. He then grabs the towel hanging over the oven door handle to dry his hands before reaching into his pocket, fisting for some loose change.

Millie has a glass jar on the coffee table that has about two dollars in change in it already; two dollars mostly from Daryl. He's pretty sure that he's being hustled, but anytime he suggests that, Millie looks at him as if she's insulted at the mere suggestion. She is Merle's daughter through and through. He may have been locked up for her entire life, but Merle has still had an influence on her.

Maybe not the best, Daryl thinks to himself as he drops the quarter into the jar.

He's not sure where Millie got the idea. He'll ask Beth about it. But anytime someone says the Lord's name in vain, they have to drop a quarter into the jar. So far, Daryl seems to be the only one who is losing money.

Millie carefully places the plate down in the drying rack and then runs over to the table, where she's got her homework already spread out on the table. First grade and she has homework nearly every night. Daryl can't remember that when he was in school – even though it has been a few years since he was in first grade and probably isn't remembering all of it.

"A'right. What are we doin' tonight?" Daryl asks as he joins Millie at the table.

"Adding three single-digit numbers," Millie says, opening her book to the proper worksheet and taking her pencil from her pencil case. "You never answered my question, Uncle Daryl."

"You've been askin' a lot of questions tonight," Daryl dryly informs his niece, who just grins cheekily.

He's definitely not going to answer Millie's questions – not about being in love with Beth and definitely not her question about marrying Beth. Does he love Beth? Hell, he doesn't know. He likes her, likes spending time with her and talking with her. He definitely likes kissing her. But love? What does that even mean?

And he's not even going to think about the marriage question. If he doesn't know if he loves the girl, how the hell does he know if he's going to marry her? Marriage is something that is so foreign to him, he can't even really imagine marrying _anyone_ ; not just Beth. He doesn't think of his parents; doesn't waste time thinking of them. He blames his mom as much as his old man for the life Daryl had as a kid. If he _does_ think of marriage, he thinks of Merle and Jenny.

Does his brother and sister-in-law have the perfect marriage? Considering Merle's been locked up for six years of it, Daryl would say no. But Daryl knows they love one another. Merle messed up – to put it lightly – but Jenny had stayed with him; visiting every weekend and staying faithful when most people wouldn't blame Jenny in the least if she slapped Merle with divorce papers when he was on the inside. But she stayed with him and Daryl can see the effort his brother is trying to put into his marriage now that he's out.

Millie sighs heavily then, breaking through his thoughts, and he looks to her working her worksheet.

"Which one givin' you problems?" He asks, leaning in closer.

"Why can't I use a calculator?" Millie asks.

"Girl, you can't always rely on technology to do things for you," Daryl tells her. "Gotta figure out how to do things on your own."

Millie sighs again and Daryl can see the tip of her tongue stick out determinedly from between her lips as she stares down at the problem.

"Come on, Millie. You got this. Jus' work one bit of it at a time," Daryl says. He leans over and covers the third number in the first problem. "Don't even think about the third number right now. You got two and you got five. What's two plus five?"

"Seven," Millie answers a beat later.

"'s right. Now," he removes his thumb. "Zero. When you add seven to zero, what do you got?"

Millie stares down at the problem and then looks to Daryl with a furrowed brow. "Seven?"

"Say it with confidence, Mills," Daryl smiles a little.

"Seven," Millie states and Daryl's smile becomes a bit wider.

"Good girl. Write that down," he says and Millie fills in the blank on the first blank. "Do the next one."

As Millie works that problem out, Daryl looks to the clock on the microwave. Jenny had called him at work earlier that afternoon, asking if he would be able to meet Millie at the bus stop that afternoon and stay with her until Merle gets home from work. She is working the evening shift at the Top Hat and won't be back home until long after Millie is supposed to be in bed, asleep. Merle, as part of his parole, has had to find employment and after some searching, he's got himself a job as a janitor at White Hill High School.

He's usually home around six and Daryl hopes Merle keeps to that time tonight because Daryl has invited Beth over to his place for a movie. He told her that she can bring any movie that she wants and she can bring that dog of hers, Frank, too, if she wants. Beth will be coming around seven and Daryl wants to make sure that he has plenty of time to get home and straighten things up a bit; not that his trailer is messy. He just wants to make sure things are better than good for her.

He's never been embarrassed before to be living in a trailer and he's not now, but he knows the Greene family lives in some big old farmhouse and his trailer is definitely a closet in comparison.

Millie almost finishes with the fourth problem when she and Daryl both lift their hands, hearing a car pull up to a stop out front, and Millie gasps. It still twists Daryl's heart a little anytime Millie watches Merle come through that door and she still gets so excited; as if she can't really still believe that her daddy is home to stay. At least, Merle better be home to stay or Daryl's going to go to prison, too, for killing him.

They hear Merle's footsteps on the porch steps and then the door is being pushed open.

"Daddy!" Millie exclaims as Merle steps inside and then she's tearing away from the table, running towards Merle, who grins and stoops down so he can pick and swoop her up into his arms.

"Hiya, princess," Merle grins and kisses her cheek. "You a good girl for your Uncle Daryl?"

"Yep!" Millie beams at him.

Daryl stands up and goes to get his jacket from where he had tossed it earlier onto the couch. "We ate that box of shells and cheese Jenny left out and we washed the dishes and she's working on her math homework. She needs help with it."

"I can do that," Merle nods and with another kiss to Millie's cheek, he sets her down on her feet. "I'm gonna fix myself somethin' to eat and we'll work on it together, okay?" He looks down to her.

"Okay!" Millie replies happily. She then hurries to Daryl and just as he's finished putting on his jacket, Millie throws her arm around his waist. "Thank you, Uncle Daryl," she smiles up at him.

"Yeah, yeah," Daryl says, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and hugging her in return. "Be good for your daddy and finish that homework without a calculator."

"Love you," she says.

"Love you, too." He drops a kiss onto the top of Millie's head. "Get on back to it."

Millie runs back to the table and Merle smiles, slapping a hand down onto Daryl's shoulder.

"Don't know what me and Jenny would do without you," Merle tells him.

Daryl shrugs. He doesn't like when Merle and Jenny act so grateful towards him. They're family. What? They think he's not going to pick his niece up at the bus stop and not feed her dinner? Hell. She's six, but Daryl will still do these things for her when she's sixteen (if she wants him to, of course, and probably even if she doesn't want him to).

"'m headin' home if you don't need me anymore," Daryl says and there's no way he's going to tell Merle that Beth is coming over tonight.

As the older brother, Merle definitely feels like it's his job to taunt and torture Daryl about everything. Daryl can only imagine how he'll be if Merle finds out that he's spending the rest of his evening with a woman. If this thing continues with Beth – he wishes he knew what the hell this thing is – he knows he'll introduce Beth to his brother. She already knows Jenny and Millie, obviously, and if she's going to keep being in Daryl's life – not just as Millie's Sunday school teacher, but as something more – she's going to have to meet his brother as that something more.

"Have a good night, baby brother," Merle says with that same smile.

Daryl leaves and walks down the road to his own trailer, just a few down from his brother's. Inside, he goes into his bedroom and he hangs his coat up in the closet and then takes off his boots, lining them neatly on the floor of the closet. He makes sure the toilet in the bathroom is flushed and he has a clean towel out, hanging on the bar next to the sink, in case she has to go to the bathroom and wash her hands. In the kitchen, he opens the refrigerator to make sure the cans of Coke he has bought the day before are still in there – as if there was a possibility of someone having broken into his place to steal them – and then he opens the cabinet just to make sure the box of microwave popcorn is where it's supposed to be, too.

Deciding everything is as good as it can be, Daryl heads into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

At seven o'clock on the dot, he hears a dog bark excitedly and normally, a dog barking in a trailer park is a typical sound, but this one sounds like it's right outside his door. Daryl takes one last quick glance around before going to the door. Looking outside, he sees that it's Beth and the dog barking is Frank, the dog jumping around Beth, dancing around her feet, as she laughs and pulls a paper bag from her backseat.

Daryl takes a quick, deep breath before opening the front door.

"Hey," he says and Beth, still laughing at Frank, lifts her head and sees Daryl standing in the doorway.

"Hi," she smiles at him.

"You need help?" Daryl asks and then without waiting for her to give an answer, he comes down the two steps in just his socks and meets her at her car. He takes the paper bag from her arms into one of his. It's light and he wonders what she's brought. Instead of asking her that though, he looks down to the dog. The dog smiles up at him with his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging back and forth. Daryl wonders if this dog remembers the sausage patty he gave him. "He looks a lot better already," he comments.

"Doesn't he?" Beth asks, beaming as proud as any parent. It makes Daryl smile a little, too. "Look what I brought for us to watch tonight." She reaches into the bag slung across her chest and pulls out a DVD case.

Daryl takes one look at the movie and he can't help, but smirk. "Seriously?" He asks.

Beth gasps then as if offended. "It's the best one in the franchise!" She insists. "And my personal favorite."

"The bar must be set pretty low in the franchise if that's the best one," Daryl teases and then actually lets out a laugh when Beth reaches out and smacks him in the chest.

"Have you ever even seen it, Daryl Dixon?" Beth asks; practically demands.

"Naw. I was too busy watchin' _good_ horror movies," he replies and Beth smacks him again. "Ain't abusin' me goin' against one of your rules?"

"One of these days, I'm going to get you to actually call them the Ten Commandments," Beth retorts.

Daryl smiles and he swears he can feel his heart drum a little faster within his chest. _One of these days_. He likes the sound of that. That means that she's planning on sticking around for at least a little while.

Climbing back up the steps, he opens the screen door and holds it open, signaling Beth to enter first. She does so with a smile and now, Daryl's heart is still drumming faster, but this time, he knows it's because he's so nervous. No one except Merle, Jenny and Millie have been in here. He's never invited anyone over before; definitely not a girl. He tries to look around his trailer and see what Beth sees.

The living room is in front of them, the kitchen to the right and then the tiniest hallway that leads to the bathroom and then the bedroom in the back. It's small and it's nothing fancy, but it's neat and clean.

"It smells like Starbucks in here," Beth inhales the air with a smile.

"Uh, yeah." Daryl's actually never been inside of a Starbucks. A whole lot of over-priced fancy drinks he's not interested in. Give him his coffee plain and black and under five bucks. "I've got one of those air freshener things plugged into the wall. Coffee scented."

Beth just keeps smiling. Frank is sniffing around at everything, his tail still wagging as he does.

"You didn' have to bring anythin' 'sides the movie," Daryl says, moving past her to go set the bag down on the counter in the kitchen. Beth closes the front door behind them and then she follows after him.

"Actually, it's all for Frank."

Daryl steps aside, but still stays close and watches as Beth begins unpacking the bag. Frank, seeming to know that she's unpacking his bag, comes trotting into the kitchen as well.

"A bowl for water, his blanket, his rope toy and his rawhide bone," Beth says, pulling each item out.

Daryl takes the bowl from her and goes to the sink, filling it up and then, after a moment, decides to put it down in the corner so they're not tripping into it. No sooner has he put it down that Frank is taking a drink. Daryl can't help, but pat a hand on Frank's back. It's amazing how well he's doing after just a few days of being in Beth and the Greene family's care. He's already gained some noticeable weight and they have given him a bath, his coat a pure white that's like snow after it's just fallen and hasn't been disturbed yet.

"I, uh, I got us Cokes and popcorn," Daryl says, turning back towards her. "And here. I'll take your coat."

"Those sound like perfect movie-watching snacks to me."

Beth smiles at him and he wonders if she can sense how damn nervous he is. He wouldn't doubt it if she can. He doesn't know how or why, but this girl always seems to be one step ahead of him. He wonders if he'll ever be able to catch up to her.

She unzips her coat and slips her arms out of the sleeves and as soon as Daryl sees what she's wearing, he cracks into a grin. It's a black hooded sweatshirt with a picture of Jason, wearing his hockey mask and holding his machete, printed on the front.

"Like it?" Beth asks, looking down to the front of her sweatshirt before looking up at Daryl, smiling.

"Like it," he confirms with a head nod and he swears that Beth is practically beaming now.

She hands over her coat and Daryl leaves the kitchen for a moment, heading through the living room and back into his bedroom. He hesitates for a second, but then decides to not hang it in his closet. Instead, he drapes it across the foot of his bed. Somehow, hanging it his closet alongside his own jacket and his shirts feels almost too intimate and maybe next time she comes over to watch a movie – if they do this again (Daryl hopes they do) – he'll hang it in the closet then.

Back out in the living room, Beth has shown herself to the couch, sitting with her both of her legs crossed on the cushion and she's holding onto one end of Frank's rope toy with one of her hands with Frank tugging on the other end as she looks on her phone in her other hand. Daryl pauses for a moment, just looking at her. She has taken her shoes off – leaving them neatly by the front door – and her socks are thick-looking and orange, pulled up over a bit of her jeans – tight as always. Her blonde hair is pulled up into a ponytail, a couple strands falling loose and that Beth has tucked behind her ears, and the sleeves of her sweatshirt are pushed up to her elbows.

Beth senses him standing there and she lifts her head, instantly breaking into a smile. "You ready for this?" She asks and she puts her phone down on the coffee table in front of the couch and she lets Frank have his rope, the dog instantly stepping back and shaking the rope rapidly back and forth as if he's killing it.

"Can anyone be ready for _Friday the 13_ _th_ _: Part 3_?" He asks with a smirk.

"I hope you enjoy eating your words, Daryl Dixon, because you will," she says with a confidence that makes him smile and she stands up, holding the DVD case out for him to take.

He does and after turning on the television and DVD player, he slips the disc in and then looks to her again.

"You want some popcorn now or do you wanna wait?"

"Let's make it now because once we start it, we're not pausing it," Beth answers.

"You take this movie pretty seriously for it bein' the third one in a mediocre franchise," he comments as he heads to the kitchen and isn't surprised in the least when Beth smacks him on the back. Beth follows after him and Frank follows after them both, heading towards his water dish for another drink.

He can't seem to stop from smiling as he goes to the cabinet for the box of popcorn. From the corner of his eye, he can see Beth looking at a picture he has on his refrigerator, smiling as she does. It's a picture of him and Millie taken at last year's White Hill Baptist's annual carnival; Millie's face painted black and yellow like a bumblebee and she's holding her two fingers up behind Daryl's head, giving him bunny ears.

Daryl wonders if he can ask Beth if she wants to go to this year's carnival with him.

"You know," Beth says, turning away from the refrigerator to look at him as he tosses one of the popcorn packs into the microwave, hitting the button to start it up. "You're reminding me a lot like a boy on the playground. Picking on and teasing the girl that he likes."

Daryl leans back against the counter behind him. "You accusin' me of likin' you?" He says and he says it with the smallest smile so she knows that he _is_ just teasing her; in case there's a chance that she doesn't know.

Beth shrugs and smiles. "I have my suspicions," she replies.

"Hmmm. Gonna have to be super nice to you then so you don't keep havin' those suspicions."

That makes Beth laugh and Daryl watches her – watches the way her whole face just lights up and thinks about how nervous he was, but now that she's here, in his kitchen, he thinks of how relaxed and _happy_ he feels – and he doesn't think of anything past that.

Daryl pushes himself off the counter and taking the step to her that closes the distance between them, his hand slides onto her cheek and he leans down, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss. He can feel Beth still smiling.

…

* * *

 **I channeled a little bit of myself into Beth in this chapter. I absolutely love horror movies, but _the Friday the 13th_ franchise will always be my favorite (even with how awful V and VIII are) - with Part III being my personal favorite.**

 **THANK YOU so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	14. Chapter 14

…

"Alright," Pastor Theodore Douglas says once White Hill Baptist council member Sheriff Rick Grimes finishes his report on the schedule for security at the carnival. "I think that about covers it. Game and ride vendors and food trucks begin arriving Thursday morning. Beth will be helping me with directing and set up. Opening blessing and prayer is Friday at four p.m. and the carnival will not be open a moment before then. It will give the rides plenty of time to be tested for safety. The last thing we want is a repeat of little Trevor Hildebrand from last year," he says and the others sitting at the table smile at that though none had been smiling the year before when Trevor had been riding the Ferris Wheel with his older sister and had realized that he could lift the safety bar and climb out of his car.

Frantic doesn't even begin to cover the emotion of what people were feeling when they watched the little five year old climbing around, fearless, without restrictions, so high up off the ground. Trevor has been in Beth's Sunday school class for two years now and she is well aware that that is one boy who needs constant supervision. She has thought more than once that his parents must be blessed with endless patience.

Pastor Douglas closes his binder and gives those others sitting at the table a smile. "I just want to thank you all for your tireless work to get this year's carnival organized and off the ground. I think this year has the potential to be the best carnival the church has had."

The meeting ends shortly after that – Pastor Douglas saying one quick parting prayer – and Beth stands up, stretching her arms over her head, grunting slightly as the tight muscles in her back move again after having gone for nearly two hours without doing so.

"See you tomorrow, Beth."

"Good night, Carol," Beth smiles warmly at the church secretary as the woman leaves the meeting room.

Beth hadn't been at White Hill Baptist when Carol's only child, Sophia, had been in Sunday school, but she now knows Sophia through the middle-school age youth program and Sophia is also a member of the children's choir. Like Millie, Beth admits to having a soft spot in her heart for Sophia Pelletier. Small towns love their gossip – especially small Southern towns – and Beth has heard all about Carol's deceased husband and the abuse he had reigned down upon his wife and daughter. Beth, of course, doesn't wish death upon anyone, but from what she has heard, it seems like perhaps Ed Pelletier being dead isn't a bad thing.

"You ready to go?" Hershel comes up to her, asking.

"Yep," Beth smiles, finishing putting on her coat.

She then grabs her carnival binder and then her other binders – one for the high-school youth group and the other for the combined junior high and middle school youth group. They each have their own little fundraisers coming up that Beth has to organize once the carnival is completed.

Hershel Greene has been on the church's council for many years and have been serving as treasure for just as long. The White Hill Baptist Carnival is a busy and important time for him since the money they earn from the festivities' weekend must carry the church through the rest of the year. They have various other smaller ways to generate money throughout the year, but nothing as the same magnitude as the carnival.

After saying goodnight to the other council members still lingering, Beth and Hershel leave the church, heading for their truck parked in the lot.

"Pastor Douglas is right. Looks like this might be the best carnival yet," Hershel comments as Beth starts the engine. "Is Daryl going to be attending?"

Beth looks at her father from the corner of her eye and Hershel may think that he's being slick, but Beth hopes he knows that he's being anything but. "He takes his niece every year so I assume he's going."

She had wanted to ask him about it when she was over, ask if he would be interested in going with her, but she had stopped herself. This is Merle's first year he's home for the carnival and Beth thinks that the Dixon family will probably all want to go together. Beth would hate to impose upon that.

"I like Daryl. He seems like a good man," Hershel then comments.

"He is," Beth agrees. "He doesn't seem to think so, but he really is."

"And he's good to you?"

Beth is thankful that the cab of the truck is dark and that Hershel can't see her face _too_ clearly. She and Daryl have kissed. More than once. She has gone over to where he lived to watch a movie and eat popcorn and cuddle with him on his couch. And if she's being honest with herself – and she always is – it honestly had been one of the best evenings of her entire life. She easily saw herself falling in love with that man.

Beth gives a small nod. "He is. But I don't know… I don't know if we're together like that."

"Hmmmm," Hershel replies to that, but doesn't say anything more.

Beth flicks on the truck's brighter headlights so she can see the pitch black country road in front of her. The last thing she wants to do is strike an animal that runs out in front of the vehicle and she won't see it until it's too late. Once, in high school, she had hit a squirrel and had cried nearly all day and had been able to feel the _thump_ of it beneath her tire for a week after.

"That is such a loaded _Hmmmm_ ," Beth informs her dad with a slight laugh.

Hershel chuckles then and shakes his head. "I didn't mean it to be. I was just thinking that if I liked myself a lady, one way I would show it is going early to see a stranded dog that the lady was trying to save and bring it a sausage patty."

Beth feels her cheeks warm even more. "I didn't say that I doubted if Daryl liked me or not. I just said that I don't know if we're actually together. Do adults actually have conversations like that or is it just one of those things that is known between the two involved parties and that's that? No conversation needed?"

"I have found, in my old age, that having a conversation with someone is never a bad thing," Hershel says.

"You're not that old," Beth retorts. Hershel just chuckles again.

"Your mother and I were talking. If you wouldn't mind, we would like Daryl to join us for dinner one of these nights. Maybe Sunday?" Hershel says as casual as if he's asking Beth if he can have some trail mix.

Beth's mouth opens as if to immediately answer, but no sounds come out because she has no idea what to say. Her parents want Daryl to come to dinner? Why? Okay, she knows why. They want to interrogate him. Hershel and Annette will deny that, of course.

"We don't interrogate anyone, dear," Beth can just imagine Annette saying.

But that is exactly what it will be. An interrogation. They'll sit at the table in the dining room and Annette will probably make her roast chicken and Hershel will ask his questions and he'll do it with that friendly smile of his and twinkle in his eye, and the questions might seem innocent and kind, but Daryl might as well be sitting in a police station beneath a burning, bright light for as innocent and kind as her parents would both be.

She likes Daryl so much. So, so much. She wants to fall in love with this man – a part of her already thinks she's halfway there. She can't ask him to come over for dinner and expose her to her parents, treating him like he's her boyfriend, because like she's just told her daddy, Beth doesn't even know _what_ Daryl is to her or what she is to Daryl. She can't ask him over as if they're in that particular stage.

What if Daryl just sees her as someone he likes kissing? Beth has never been one to be just casual with a man and she knows she very well can't be like that with Daryl, but what if he only wants to keep it casual? If it means that that's the only way she can spend time with him, is Beth prepared to do that?

"I'll ask him and see," Beth finally answers Hershel. Not exactly a yes-or-no answer or a promise that he'll come, but there's no harm in asking.

Beth nearly snorts at herself. Sure. She can tell herself that, but the truth is, that is one of the most dangerous questions that can be asked. How can she possibly ask Daryl over for dinner with her parents when she doesn't even know what the heck they're doing?

An hour later, Beth finds herself changed into her pajamas – her face and teeth washed and brushed – and she is in bed, beneath the covers, reading a book by the small lamp on the nightstand table next to her bed. With her lying on her side, Frank has curled himself up in the spot between the side of the bed and her stomach. Beth scratches him behind his ear slowly as he sleeps and she reads. When her phone on the nightstand dings, his eyes open, but his head remains down, watching as Beth closes her book, marking the page with her finger and reaches for her phone.

"It's Daryl," Beth says softly, more to herself, with a faint smile on her face, but Frank hears and his tail thumps once against the bed at the familiar name.

 _B – I can't believe you're texting._

 _D – you and me both. were you sleeping?_

 _B – I turn my phone off when I go to sleep. Is everything okay?_

 _D – yeah. i was just wondering if you wanted to come over for another movie night._

Beth smiles instantly when she reads that message.

 _B – of course. Your pick?_

 _D – nah. it can be yours again. maybe part 4?_

Beth laughs at that and Frank thumps his tail again.

Her thumbs hover the keys, trying to decide what to say in response. She knows what she _wants_ to say, but they're not there yet. She might not know exactly what they're doing, but she does know they're not where she hopes that they will be one day.

She replies quickly, not wanting Daryl to think that she's second-guessing her agreement of coming over.

 _B – You pick this time. It's only fair since you sat through one of my favorites._

 _D – alright. anything in particular you really hate?_

 _B – The SAW or Hostel movies. I hate torture porn._

 _D – we've got that in common._

 _B – it's just disgusting. Not even scary. Just disgusting._

 _D – i'll think of something real good and scary for us to watch. what night works best for you?_

Beth thinks over her schedule for a moment. With the carnival coming up, her usual free time is kind of _un_ -free at the moment. At the moment, her only free evening is tomorrow night.

 _B – Wednesday. Unless that's too short of notice._

 _D – i'll pick us out a movie by then. no problem._

Beth smiles again, already happy in anticipation for tomorrow night.

She knows that when she first stepped through the front door, Daryl had been a bit hesitant; a bit embarrassed, but Beth hadn't understood why. He lives in a trailer, yes, but he certainly isn't the only person in the state of Georgia to live in one of those. It is surprisingly big inside, bigger than she would have originally thought with a good-sized living room and a kitchen to match. She hadn't seen the bedroom, but the bathroom had had a bathtub and that had honestly surprised her – though she hadn't said anything to Daryl about it, not wanting to embarrass him further or perhaps even embarrass him. It hadn't been a full size bath-tub, but she had thought it was cute in its smaller size. Again though, she hadn't said that to Daryl. She's fairly certain that bathtubs aren't supposed to be cute.

 _B – And Frank can come, too?_

 _D – course. can't have a movie night without frank._

Beth smiles at that, her heart thumping in her chest.

Maybe she _can_ ask Daryl to come over to the farm for dinner and to meet her parents.

Maybe they are that point with one another and Beth hadn't even seen them getting there until right now.

…

"You did not have to do all of this," Beth tells Daryl as she watches him move around the kitchen the next evening after she and Frank have arrived. Daryl met her outside at her car and ushered her and the dog inside, guiding her right into the kitchen.

"I borrowed it from Jenny and Merle. Jenny says it'll be a good Christmas present for me this year," he says and Beth smiles at that. "And I don't wan' you to think that I went through too much trouble. Jus' opened a few cans of beans and dumped 'em in this mornin' 'fore I left for work."

He lifts the lid to the crockpot to stir the contents inside and Beth peeks from around his arm. He's done more than that, but she keeps her lips pursed together and doesn't point that out to him. He's made chili. For her. Okay. She knows that he has to eat dinner, too, but she likes to think that he went to his sister-in-law to borrow her crockpot so he could make chili tonight for the _both_ of them.

"Do you have cheese?" Beth asks.

"Can't have chili without cheese," he says. "Bought a block of fresh cheddar this afternoon at the store 'fore gettin' home."

He puts the lid back onto the crockpot and turns to head towards the refrigerator, but Beth beats him to it, hurrying so she reaches it first and opening the door, she sees the block right next to the carton of milk. She grabs it and then turns to him with a smile.

"I want to shred," she says, making sure that he can hear it in her tone that she's not asking him if she can.

Daryl narrows his eyes slightly at her and Beth just smiles. He mutters something under his breath, but Beth can't hear what he says and she figures that that's probably for the best. She just keeps smiling and Daryl goes to a plastic bag on the kitchen table, pulling out a brand new shredder.

"I was gonna wash it 'fore we use it," he says and his ears are turning pink.

Beth thinks it's so adorable when his ears turn pink, but right now, there really isn't a reason to be embarrassed. It's just a shredder.

Beth smiles and takes it from his hand. She sets the cheese down on the counter and turns towards the sink. Daryl doesn't have a lot of "extra" things, she notices. He has one bottle of blue liquid dishwashing soap and one sponge because that's all he needs. He'll probably twitch when he walks into the farmhouse and sees all of the various knick-knacks her mom and dad have accumulated over the years.

The thought nearly makes her giggle, but thankfully, she's able to stop herself before she can.

"What movie did you pick for us tonight?" Beth asks as she begins running the shredder under the water now that it's hot enough.

Daryl doesn't answer right away. In fact, he's completely silent behind her, but she knows he's behind her. She can _feel_ him. There's something about Daryl's presence. No matter where he is, he fills every inch of that space. He's bigger than space – but not in a manner that is suffocating or intimidating. He may be a quiet man who prefers to go unnoticed by everyone, but the way Beth sees it, there's something about Daryl Dixon that just gets people to pay attention to him. He's the sort that draws people in without even doing anything.

The first Sunday she met him, when he was dropping a little Millie off for the first time, Beth thought that. She didn't know this man, but she knew immediately that she wanted to.

Standing at his sink now, feeling him behind her, Beth can feel his eyes staring at her and she feels warm.

She hopes he doesn't ask her what she's thinking about because she already knows she won't be able to explain it to him. She can hardly explain it to herself.

All thoughts fly from her head though when Daryl comes to stand directly behind her. Beth looks over her shoulder and gives him a small smile; one he doesn't return and he continues staring intently at her as if he's doing his best to memorize every single curve and line of her entire body. She is still learning how to read him, but right now, it's fairly obvious to her that he wants to do something. She does her best to keep her mind from racing off, imagining just _what_ he wants to do.

"Beth, I…" he begins to say before stopping himself abruptly.

"It's okay," she gives him a smile – hoping that he knows that she means that in so many way; hoping that she's reading him right and isn't making a complete fool of herself right now with her innocent not-really-innocent look and she hopes that Daryl is reading her look right.

With that, she turns back towards the sink and continues washing the shredder. She's holding her breath, but she hopes Daryl can't see that. He's even closer now. She can feel him. He is right behind her back. He is so warm, his eyes on the back of her head, and Beth feels as if she's on fire. She's not even washing the shredder anymore. She's just standing there, waiting, wondering.

Hoping.

And then Daryl leans in and Beth's eyes slide shut as his lips – as light as a breeze – brush down the side of her neck. In natural reaction, her head tilts to the side, exposing more of her neck.

"Is this okay?" He whispers in that gravel voice of his right in her ear.

Beth doesn't trust her voice right now. All she can do is nod. Daryl shuffles in even closer, his chest to her back now, and his lips brush down her neck again.

"Beth," he says her name, still whispering, and Beth doesn't even attempt to open her eyes because she knows she's not able to. His hands are on her hips – she wonders if he even realizes that – and his breath is warm on her skin and it smells like mint. It makes her want to smile that he's clearly brushed his teeth before she and Frank arrived tonight.

"Yes?" She is amazed and proud of herself for being able to remember any word of the English language.

"The carnival this weekend, can I take you?" Daryl asks.

"Yes." Her answer is immediate.

She's never had a date to the carnival before. She's never really thought of it before, but she's suddenly quite glad that she never has because Daryl being her first somehow makes it even more special and perfect.

Her parents will be there as well. The whole town will be. Most of the county, too, over the next few days. Daryl's already met her daddy – in a casual setting and not a sit-down you're kissing my daughter's neck kind of way – but still, Daryl has met him. But Hershel isn't the one Daryl needs to be careful of. Annette Greene is fiercely protective of all of her children – especially Beth – and though Annette has already said that she's glad Beth is spending time with Daryl, that doesn't mean that Annette will accept him with open arms.

She wants Beth to be happy and treated well by a good man and Annette will need to make absolute certain about Daryl Dixon for herself.

Maybe, if they all run into one another at the carnival and spend a little bit of time together, playing games or eating funnel cakes, inviting Daryl over to dinner won't put Beth's stomach in a know just from thinking about it. Beth can't imagine a problem where funnel cakes couldn't help solve it.

She prays to God that funnel cakes will help this. God, after all, put funnel cakes on this earth. Perhaps He did it for this specific reason; boyfriends and family meeting each other reasons.

…

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review! In the next chapter, Beth will meet Merle and Daryl will meet Annette - all at the carnival!**

 **Also, thank you so much for your patience. Work has been insane lately, I am working on a hundred different things and my brother and I are brainstorming a children's story together (he illustrating and me writing). Just a lot happening right now, but it means the world to me that people are still reading my Bethyl stories and loving them.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I was hoping to update this yesterday, but better late than never. I absolutely _love_ Daryl's inner thoughts in this chapter. **

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…

"Ms. Greene!" Millie exclaims and Daryl immediately turns his head from where he's buying tickets at the ticket booth to ride some of the rides – mainly the carousel. That's Millie's favorite and she usually wants to ride it no less than three times.

Beth is standing right where she said she would be waiting. "By the first corndog stand on the main midway," she had told him with a smile and Daryl had smiled a little in return even though he had been nervous; nervous ever since he asked her if he could take her to the carnival because even though he knew Beth would _never_ do it, a part of him had been braced for her to stand him up and not be there at all.

But she is. She's standing by the corndog stand and she is smiling so brightly, it's damn near reveling the sun, and not only that, but she looks beautiful. She always does, Daryl knows without a doubt, but there's something about her, especially this early afternoon. Maybe it's because she just looks so damn happy and Daryl sees the way that she's looking at him – looking _right_ at him – and he almost wants to believe that seeing him is the reason why she's so happy.

He hasn't seen her since she and Frank came to his trailer on Wednesday for another movie night together and he wound up kissing her neck and asking if he could take her to the carnival. She's been so busy the past couple of days, working on all of the carnival's needed final touches, and even though they've been texting or talking on their cells, it isn't the same as actually seeing her. If she asks, Daryl knows that he'll be honest.

Hell yeah, he's missed her.

"Hi!" Beth greets Millie with laughter in her voice as the girl goes running towards her and Beth crouches down so they can hug one another.

Jenny follows after her daughter and once Beth stands straight again, the two women smile and hug.

"So that's the Sunday School teacher, huh?" Merle says from next to Daryl.

Daryl frowns at him. "Can you not be a dick to her?" He asks.

Merle grins. "What do you think big brothers are for?"

"Not to be dicks to their little brothers or the girls they like."

"Pssh. Since when?"

Merle gives him another face-splitting grin and then clapping a hand on Daryl's back, Merle follows after the rest of his family. Daryl is fully prepared to tackle Merle down to the ground. Not that he thinks Merle will be _too_ rude to Beth, but there's always that chance that he'll just be too much _Merle_ and he has to be prepared.

"Hi," Beth smiles at both men as they stop in front of her.

"So you're the Ms. Greene my daughter's been talkin' my ear off about for the past two years," Merle smiles.

Beth visibly blushes at that and keeps smiling. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Dixon," she says.

"Don't know who Mr. Dixon is. It's Merle," he says and holds out his hand.

"It's so nice to meet you, Merle," Beth says, that same bright, happy smile across her face. "And I'm Beth."

"Oh, I know. 've been hearin' your name a lot lately," Merle grins and blatantly looks at Daryl.

Daryl's jaw clenches as he glares at his brother, but Merle just keeps on smiling. Beth's blush deepens.

"Alright," Jenny says. "Let's stop making Daryl imagine your homicide and get going. Where to first, Millie?"

"I want a goldfish!" The little girl exclaims, practically bouncing on her toes.

"No," Merle feigns shock. "Jus' cause you've been talkin' about a goldfish for three days straight, I still can't believe that you really wan' a goldfish."

"Daddy," Millie whines, pulling on his hand.

"Where are the goldfish games?" Merle asks, looking to Beth.

"Right over there," Beth points with a smile.

"Come on, daddy!" Millie says, still pulling on his hand.

When Merle, Jenny and Millie all head towards one of the game booths, Daryl turns towards Beth.

"Hi," Beth smiles up at him. "I've missed you," she then voices his earlier thought.

"Me, too," Daryl agrees with a nod and he doesn't know how it's possible, but Beth's smile only seems to brighten at his words. "Seems more crowded this year than others," he then notes.

The gravel lot for parking was nearly full already by the time they had gotten here, just before noon, and there seem to be thick throngs of people in every direction Daryl looks in.

Beth smiles, obviously pleased that he has seemed to notice. "It is. Pastor Douglas is certain it's going to be our biggest year yet. It's going to give so much money for the Church."

And she's smiling and so happy about that, Daryl smiles a little, too, feeling happy just because she is.

Deciding that he's waited long enough, he lifts a hand to her cheek and begins to lower his face to hers, but Beth lets out a laugh and puts her hands on his chest, pulling her head back.

"No way, Mr. Dixon," she says. "I'm still mad at you."

Daryl finds himself actually grinning. "Can't be that mad at me if you didn't stand me up today. And if you were really that mad at me, you and Frank would have just left instead of sittin' through the whole movie."

"Pointing out logical things is winning you no favors," Beth laughs and shakes her head. " _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_. Really?"

Daryl just smiles – still damn near grinning – and leans in, pressing his lips to the side of her head and he hears the happy exhale from her. "You jus' said no torture horror and it ain't. 's a classic horror movie. More than _Friday the 13_ _th_ _Part III_ will ever be."

Beth laughs and playfully pushes at his chest again. "I'm not going to compare the two. Apples and oranges. Both fruits. Very different. But while I will say that Jason Voorhees and Leatherface both should have the respect of any true horror movie fan, everyone knows Jason Voorhees is on a much higher level than Leatherface."

"Alrigh'," Daryl smirks. "You're just talkin' crazy now."

He doesn't think about it. He finds himself thinking less and less about things when Beth is involved. Instead, he just does. So far, most of the time, it works out in his favor. He's never been the sort to act impulsive. He thinks through every single thing he both says and does and he still hasn't been able to figure out what it is about this girl that makes him act the complete opposite of how he's been acting for his entire life.

Now isn't the time to try and figure it out though.

Now, Daryl reaches down and takes Beth's hand and Beth slips her fingers between his and they walk to go meet the rest of his family at the game booth they have gone to first. There is a large square table on the other side of the counters – the entire square covered in glass bowls and in those glass bowls, lazy goldfish swim about in crystal clear water. Merle has already paid for the three rings and has yet to try his hand.

"That one, daddy!" Millie exclaims, pointing to the mass of glass bowls.

"They all look the same, girl," Merle frowns, testing the ring's weight in his hand. "Which one?" He then asks.

Millie grins and standing on her toes, leaning as far as she can over the counter, she points to one of the bowls closest to them. Merle stares at it for a moment and then down to the ring before to his daughter.

"You sure you wouldn' want your Uncle Daryl doin' this instead? His aim's always been a bit better than mine," Merle says.

Millie shakes her head quickly, red curls hitting her cheeks. "No, daddy. You."

Merle looks to Daryl, looking a bit hopeless, if Daryl's being honest – a look that is so unlike Merle, it almost hurts Daryl to see it on his over-confident older brother's face.

Merle begins to extend the ring to Daryl, but with his hand not holding onto Beth's, Daryl shakes his hand and pushes Merle's hand back.

"You heard her. She wants you to do it," Daryl says.

"You can do it, baby," Jenny smiles at Merle, rubbing a hand on his back.

"Course he can! We're Dixons!" Millie exclaims.

Merle seems to visibly straighten up at that and Daryl can't help, but reach out and tousle Millie's hair, the girl looking up at him and grinning widely. That is exactly what her dad needs to hear right now and for being only six, the girl is damn start that she seems to realize that. With Merle in prison, it's something that Daryl has been telling her since she's been old enough to understand the English language and what words mean. It's almost like their family motto; something that Merle started drilling into Daryl's head when he was a little kid. The Dixon family might have always been pieces of shit – before Jenny and Millie became a part of it – but there is something the Dixon family has always been and that's having pride. Probably too much.

Merle tosses the first ring and it pings off one of the bowls, missing, but not by much and he grumbles under his breath before taking the second ring and testing the weight in his hand for a moment before he tosses it.

Daryl wonders if Beth realizes she's squeezing his hand as tightly as she is; as if they're about to go over the first, tallest drop of a roller coaster and she's scared out of her mind, but doesn't want to say anything.

Daryl admits that he's feeling a bit nervous, too, right now. He knows Millie is the kind of kid who will try to hide her disappointment from her parents and from everyone if Merle isn't able to get one of his rings around one of those goldfish bowls, but he also knows that Millie is just six and everyone will know that she's disappointed despite how she acts and he knows that Merle will just be pissed off if he disappoints Millie.

They all watch as Merle tosses his second ring and Millie explodes in celebration as if they've all just won the lottery when the ring swings around one of the goldfish bowls.

"We got a winner!" The carnival worker announces and Millie leaps at Merle, Merle grinning so wide, he's just about laughing, and he swoops her up into his arms.

He gives her a kiss on the head and sets her back down on her feet. "Get your fish," he tells her.

"Here you go," the worker smiles at Millie and hands the small bowl over with the small fish inside.

"Oh, he's perfect!" Millie exclaims, looking at the fish inside and then turning, holding the bowl up – carefully – so everyone else can see it. "He's just the one I wanted, too! I'm going to name him Jonah. Like the whale. What do you think, Ms. Greene?"

Beth is positively beaming. "I think that's the most perfect name for him," she agrees and Millie just keeps smiling, holding the bowl tight to her chest and looking down at her new goldfish.

Beth pulls out her cell phone and crouching down, she takes a picture of Millie and Jonah while promising Jenny she'll get a copy to her.

"What should we do now?" Jenny asks.

"'bout noon. Wanna get somethin' to eat?" Daryl suggests.

"Um, I'm so sorry to do this, but would it be okay if I borrow Daryl for just a few minutes?" Beth asks.

Merle grins at that; as if he's imagining Beth and Daryl having a quickie behind the funhouse. Actually, Daryl corrects his thought. Judging by his brother's grin, that's _exactly_ what Merle is thinking right now.

"You can borrow him for as long as want, Beth," Merle says, still grinning, and not even a deaf man would be able to miss Merle's insinuation. "Don't know how long he'll take-"

Jenny promptly elbows her husband in his ribs. "We'll get something to eat and then maybe all meet back up by the carousel in a half hour?"

"Perfect," Beth agrees.

Daryl watches as his family walks off, disappearing within the crowds of people, before he turns to face Beth.

"Is everythin' alrigh'?" He asks.

"Yes," she nods though he notes that her cheeks look a little flushed to him. "I… I didn't want to tell you ahead of time in case you completely put your foot down and refused, but my mom wants to meet you…" she trails off then and he can tell that she's nervous; almost scared.

Daryl looks at her for a moment. He can't imagine Mrs. Greene being _that_ scary; not if she's anything like her husband, Hershel, and her Sunday school teacher daughter, Beth. So Beth must be so nervous and scared because she's got in her head that Daryl is going to turn her down flat and refuse to meet her mom.

Daryl's not sure how he feels about that. He's never met the mom before, but he's also done nothing with a girl like he's doing with Beth. Not that they're doing _anything_ , but they talk constantly on the phone and see each other a couple of times a week – outside of picking Millie up from Sunday school – and Christ, just the other night, he was practically pinning her against the sink in his trailer and kissing her neck. It's not nothing and it's definitely something, but he has no idea, past that, what it is.

Is this Beth's way of telling him – without actually telling him – that she considers him to be her boyfriend? That's the only time a girl introduces a guy to her parents, right? When he's the boyfriend?

Daryl nearly snorts at himself. Like he has any idea what the hell he's thinking about. He's never been anyone's boyfriend and he sure as hell has never met the parents before. Maybe Beth introduces everyone in her life to her parents. Maybe Jenny, Merle and Millie are going to be introduced today to them, too.

"Sure," Daryl answers simply, but it's enough for Beth to look like she's begun breathing again.

He doesn't know where they're meeting them so when Beth begins walking, he just falls into step with her.

"I forgot to say something else," Beth says.

Daryl's not sure why, but he finds his spine stiffening. Something else? He tries to think of what it could be and he tries to figure out why he's feeling nervous about it all of a sudden. Is she going to introduce him to her mom and then dump his ass? Can Beth technically dump him if they're, technically, not dating?

"Besides the original, _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ has, by far, the worst sequals and reboots," she states.

It takes him half a second to actually process what she has said and when it does click in his mind, Daryl hears himself actually letting out a laugh.

"You've been keepin' that in all this time?" He asks, looking at her with a smile. Beth just smiles in return and her hand slips back into his. This time, Daryl is the one to weave their fingers together. "I don't know. I didn' hate the _Leatherface_ origin story that came out last year."

Beth rears her head back so she can look up at him, setting her frown on him. "Daryl, what are you talking about? That was a horrible movie!"

"Look," Daryl cuts in. "You actually like _Friday the 13_ _th_ _Part III_. I feel like anythin' that comes out of your mouth is invalid."

He lets out another laugh when Beth promptly pushes him roughly in his side.

"You sure you wanna be abusin' me in front of people from your church that can see? What'll they think?"

"It is perfectly justifiable abuse," Beth quips. "And I'm an angel, Daryl Dixon."

Daryl just snorts at that and smiles again when Beth gives him another push.

As they get closer to a particular tent, Beth squeezes his hand tightly and Daryl doesn't miss it. He figures that must mean that she spots her parents. He's half expecting that she'll let go of his hand, but instead, she just keeps holding onto it as tightly as a person can hold another person's hand without causing a loss of blood flow and she leads him into an open white tent with tables lined up – people sitting sporadically, spread out with various trays of food in front of them.

Daryl sees Hershel Greene and he assumes that the woman sitting next to him is Beth's mom. She's not at all what Daryl's been expecting. For one, she's not nearly as old as Hershel, but then Daryl calls himself an idiot because _of course_ she wouldn't be. Beth's still young herself and if the woman was Hershel's age, she very well couldn't have had Beth in the first place.

She's a little thing. Daryl can see where Beth gets her frame. And she has dark brown hair with a few wisps of grey. She looks almost fragile; almost delicate. But Daryl isn't about to be fooled because when she and Hershel both spot Beth and Daryl coming their way, Daryl can see a barracuda in that woman's eyes.

"There they are," Hershel announces the obvious with a warm smile, getting to his feet.

Beth hugs her dad with one arm, still holding onto Daryl's hand with the other, and then she hugs the woman that Daryl is still assuming is Mrs. Greene. He sees the way Mrs. Greene smiles and hugs her daughter. This woman loves her daughter and that's both a good and bad thing. Good for Beth, obviously, but pretty damn bad for him, in Daryl's opinion. A mom who loves her daughter is as protective as a bear of her cub and Daryl's completely unarmed.

Beth whispers something in her mom's ear.

"I'm always nice," her mom whispers back and Daryl's pretty sure that he wasn't supposed to hear that, but they also don't know that his hearing is better than probably most people's.

"Good to see you again, Daryl," Hershel says and this time, Beth lets go of his hand so Daryl can shake it.

"You, too, Mr. Greene," Daryl says back.

"Hershel," he corrects him, that same smile across his face and unlike the way his wife looking at Daryl, Hershel looks at Daryl and Daryl knows that maybe castrating him isn't the first thought on the man's mind. "We got two funnel cakes. Is that alright?"

Considering he didn't know up until five minutes ago that he was meeting her parents, Daryl will consider it one of those Biblical miracles Beth likes to talk to the kids about if he's able to eat a single thing right now.

"That's perfect," Beth answers for them both. "Daryl, this is my mom, Annette Greene. Mom, this is Daryl Dixon."

Annette holds out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Daryl."

"You, too, ma'am," he gives her a slight dip of his head and shakes her hand in return.

Unlike her husband before her, Annette does not correct Daryl in what he has called her.

They sit down at the table, Hershel and Annette on one bench and Daryl and Beth on the other across from them. Her parents have gotten a stack of napkins and as Beth takes a few, for herself and for Daryl, Daryl sees that Beth's fingers are visibly shaking.

Without thinking about it – as always when it comes to Beth – Daryl takes her hand back and holds onto it beneath the table. Beth looks at him with obvious gratitude in her eyes and Daryl gives her hand a squeeze. She squeezes it back.

He wonders why she's so nervous. These are her parents. If anyone should be shaking, it should be him and Daryl thinks that shaking is acceptable considering the way Annette sits across from him, studying him. This woman would make even Merle shake.

"So, Daryl, what are your intentions towards my daughter?" Annette jumps right into it.

"Mom," Beth says, frowning at her. "I told you. It's not… it's not like that. We're just spending time together."

"We're datin'," Daryl tells her – and her parents – and the words fall from his mouth before he even realizes it. Beth looks at him, silent, her hand still as it remains tucked into his. "Aren't we?" He asks her in a quieter voice as if her parents won't be able to hear.

"I would like that," she admits in her own quiet voice, a small smile pulling at her lips. "I just didn't know what you wanted."

Daryl might not believe in Him, but he finds himself thanking God anyway that he's actually able to stop himself before replying to Beth right then with _You_.

…

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 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**

 **More carnival time in the next chapter.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you so much for being patient. I know exactly what I want the next chapters to be and how this story is going to go. I really just need my Daryl/Beth muse to stop being such a stubborn bitch so I can write it.**

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…

"Daryl, do you attend service at White Hill Baptist? I've never seen you there," Hershel speaks to the man sitting across from him and Beth does her best to suppress the heavy sigh she wants to release.

 _And so it begins_ , she thinks to herself.

From the corner of her eye, she can see Daryl go very still, obviously unsure of how to answer Hershel's question and not wanting him to run away, never to be seen by her again, Beth leaps in before Daryl can open his mouth to provide some sort of answer – even if she, admittedly, is a _tiny_ bit curious as to how Daryl would think to answer Hershel.

"Daddy, Daryl doesn't go to church," Beth reminds him with only a _slightly_ pointed look, knowing very well that Hershel hasn't forgotten.

That had been a fun conversation to have with her parents once she told them.

"What do you mean?" Annette had asked with a furrowed brow when Beth had told them about Daryl and his complete lack of faith and how, when they met him, could they please not mention anything about it?

"What do you mean what do I mean?" Beth asked in return.

"He doesn't go to church? Not at all? Is he something other than Baptist? If he is, we can certainly work around that, but to not go to church _at all_ …" Annette said the words as if she truly didn't understand them.

"Zach doesn't go to church," Beth felt the need to point out.

"That was different, Bethy," Hershel piped in. "We never thought you imagined yourself marrying Zach."

That had certainly sent her head reeling and she hadn't had the faintest idea as to how to respond to that.

She still doesn't.

Marrying Daryl? She has no idea why her daddy would say such a thing. Is there a way she smiles when she talks about him that she hasn't noticed? Or is she talking about Daryl so much now that her parents can hear something in her tone in regards to him?

He has _just_ told her that they're dating because up until this moment, it's something that she has wanted, but has been so unsure of how to approach the subject. She finds herself falling and falling the more time they spend together and she hates being so unsure about anything, but she's never spent her time with anyone remotely like Daryl and she admits that she has been just following his lead. S

She wants to be in love so badly – truly in love and be able to finally experience it for herself and she knows she's well on her way to feeling that for Daryl – and she wants someone to truly love her in return, but – and no matter how depressing the thought it – she has trouble deciding if Daryl will ever be in love with her or if she's just his girlfriend he watches horror movies with and nothing more than that.

"Do you mind if I ask you about that, Daryl?" Annette asks, cutting through Beth's wandering thoughts.

Daryl is still for another moment and then clears his throat. "You can. Don't know how good my answers are gonna be…"

Beth takes a napkin and wipes her fingertips of sugar from the funnel cake before reaching beneath the table. Daryl's hands are holding his own piece of funnel cake – now momentarily forgotten – and she rests a light hand on his thigh, right by his knee. She just wants him to know that she's there. No matter what.

"You seem quite taken with our daughter," Annette begins. "Does it bother you that she teaches Sunday school or that she is so active in our church?"

Daryl doesn't hesitate. He shrugs. "Don't see why somethin' like that would bother me."

"And you don't ever see her faith and your lack of becoming an eventual problem between you two?" Hershel joins in.

Beth opens her mouth to respond.

She understands why her parents are asking these things. This is a pretty big issue and yet, Beth can't really imagine it being so between her and Daryl. Yes, she keeps certain things from him about her days and yes, she knows that if she _is_ falling in love with this man, keeping things from him – no matter how small or insignificant it may seem – isn't exactly ideal but it's not like she's keeping major things from him. And despite this difference, Beth thinks they're good together – except for his love of _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ franchise, of course.

Daryl beats her to it though, answering her daddy before she can.

"Jus' cause I don't believe in any of the same things, that don't mean that I want Beth to stop believin' jus' cause of me." Daryl then pauses and he looks at Beth as he says the next part. "'s one of my favorite things about you. The way you believe in that stuff," he tells her.

Beth is stunned for a moment and she hears a great whooshing in her ears; as if she's falling down quite a distance in the air at quite a speed.

"We really have to get you to stop calling it stuff," she manages to say with the faintest smile and she's so happy when Daryl is able to return it with a twitching of his own lips.

"And Daryl," Annette continues on. "What do you do for work?"

As Daryl explains his city maintenance job, Beth manages to eat more of the funnel cake though for once, her stomach doesn't seem to want it that much – which she can't remember ever happening before when a funnel cake is in front of her. But she's far too focused on Daryl and her parents right now to put attention on much of anything else – even the plate of delicious fried dough sprinkled with sugar in front of her.

Her daddy is asking about where he lives now and Daryl hesitates for only a moment before telling them about the trailer where he lives – a few down from where his brother, sister-in-law and niece live.

"It smells like a Starbucks," Beth feels the need to inform her parents.

She can tell from Daryl's tone. He doesn't like telling her parents where he lives and she wishes he knew that there's no shame in it. Like she has thought before, there are plenty of people in Georgia who live in trailers and she loves being in his home. It's so neat and organized and cozy and her favorite ways to spend the evening are sitting with him on his couch – with Frank chewing a bone on the floor – as they watch a movie. She's only been over less than a handful of times, but she already loves his place and feels comfortable there.

"Oh goodness," Annette smiles at Daryl – by far, the friendliest smile she has given him yet and Beth hopes that Daryl notices it. "Do yourself a favor, Daryl. Stock up on plenty of coffee for this one here. She even wants to drink it at nine o'clock at night."

"I'm not _that_ addicted," Beth nearly grumbles.

"Sure, Bethy," Hershel chuckles and then looks to Daryl, his eyes still twinkling and Beth hopes that Daryl notices that, too. "I'm always tempted to tell her that she needs to cut it from her life around the Easter season to better appreciate Jesus's suffering, but I always stop myself from doing so. I do not want to be responsible for a massacre in White Hill because my daughter hasn't had her coffee."

Beth feels her cheeks warm and she feels Daryl looking at her. His lips twitch towards her again and even though he has powdered sugar on his fingers, it doesn't stop him from reaching under the table and covering her hand with his, giving it a squeeze. Beth doesn't mind at all.

…

Another hour, a few more questions and both funnel cakes being consumed, Daryl and Beth leave her parents, hand-in-hand after she hears Daryl promising her daddy that he'll come by the farm to take a look at the pick-up truck after Hershel finds out that Daryl's good with that sort of thing. Hershel and Annette smile and tell them to enjoy the carnival as they head off for the bingo tent and Daryl and Beth head off to try and find his family again.

"Thank you. I know I kind of sprung that on you," Beth feels the need to say.

Daryl shrugs. "Don't gotta thank me. Wasn' that bad."

Beth nearly laughs because she admits that she doesn't believe him whatsoever, but she purses her lips together to keep from doing so until the urge passes. And it's not like he's completely wrong. It hadn't been _that_ bad. She just wishes that her parents had stayed away from the religious questions. Yes, their faith is obviously one of the most important things in the Greene family, but she had already explained to them that it's not like that for Daryl and it was rather unfair for them to ask him to try and explain any of it.

"Still," Beth says, clutching his hand a bit more tightly. "Thank you."

And with that, she stands on her toes and kisses his cheek. Daryl smiles a little and squeezes her hand back.

"Did Zach have to go through that, too?" He asks.

"Yes," Beth smiles at the memory. "And I suppose you had it a _bit_ easier. Maggie had been at that lunch."

She's told him about Maggie and how annoyingly protective of her little sister that she can be and Daryl remembers and smiles a little in reply that.

"Will I ever meet her, you think?" Daryl asks.

"Do you want to?" Beth can't help but be surprised at that.

"Figured I already met the parents. Should meet the girlfriend's sister, too," he answers with a shrug.

Beth feels her heart flip at that. She knows, physically and technically, it actually hasn't, but it feels like that all of the same. How can one word in all of the words in the English language make her feel as if the entire world has just shifted? How can one word from this man make her look down to her feet just to make sure that they are actually still on the ground?

"Daryl," she says his name and without thinking of much else except that – except Daryl – she guides him off to the side so they're not walking along with all of the other people. She notes that they have stopped at the side of a corndog food truck.

Daryl looks down to her – his eyes intense and a darker shade of blue than she has ever seen them – and without saying anything else, Beth stands on her tip toes, slides her hands onto either side of his neck and she kisses him. She feels Daryl hesitate and she knows that he's probably unsure about kissing her with such crowds of people all around, but when she begins to pull back, that's when she feels Daryl's hand on the back of her head and he kisses her back.

"I have something to tell you," Beth says once their mouths break apart.

Her statement makes him smirk. "Somethin' else about my taste in horror movies?"

"Okay. I have two somethings to tell you," Beth smiles and Daryl smiles, too, and his hand is still on the back of her head and she very much likes it there. "Firstly, the remake of _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ was completely unnecessary."

"Agreed," Daryl smirks with a nod.

"And secondly, I'm going to be posting a lot of pictures on Instagram today."

Again, Daryl smirks and she's pleasantly surprised when he leans in, kissing her on the forehead. His hand then leaves the back of her head so he can take hold of her hand again.

"Was a bit surprised when weren't takin' pictures of the funnel cake," he says and Beth almost giggles.

"I guess I was just too nervous," she admits.

"Why were you nervous? You weren't the ones meetin' your mom and dad for the first time."

They begin walking again, heading towards the carousel.

"I was just nervous about… well, everything," Beth isn't exactly sure how to put it into words.

Daryl is just so different from Zach or her high school boyfriend, Jimmy. For one, he's older than her and obviously, an age difference wouldn't bother Hershel and Annette Greene that much, but still, she's their youngest. Their baby. They might have an issue with her dating an older man. And that's another thing. Daryl is _such_ a man. She wonders if her parents could imagine her with someone like him.

And that doesn't even scratch the surface of their differences in regards to religion and faith. But Beth hopes that since she is able to look past it, her parents can, too.

"There they are," Daryl says as they near the carousel and Beth is amazed that his family is still there since the meeting with her parents had lasted longer than initially thought.

Merle and Jenny are standing at the fencing that surrounds the carousel as it spins around and around, Millie on a purple unicorn and waving at her parents every time she passes. Beth smiles as she and Daryl make their ways towards them and she watches Merle and Jenny. Merle's arm is slug around his wife's waist, holding her into his side and he's saying something in her ear, with a grin on his face, and it's making Jenny laugh.

She's wanted to ask Jenny before, but Beth knows it's not her place whatsoever. She just wonders how Jenny had been able to handle things on her own for the past six years without Merle there. Yes, she has had Daryl helping out as much as he possibly could, but still, Jenny was on her own, handling a daughter and a home and the finances while her husband was locked away. Beth doesn't know if she'd be able to handle something like that if she ever found herself in a similar situation and she's had to bite her tongue more than once before she tells Jenny how awesome she thinks she is.

"There you two are," Merle grins when he sees them come up beside them. "Daryl lasted longer than I gave 'im credit for."

Jenny rolls her eyes at her husband.

"If you're so obsessed about havin' sex behind the fun house, no one is stoppin' you," Daryl frowns at his older brother as Merle just keeps on grinning.

"Please don't," Beth pipes in. "This is a church carnival."

"Uncle Daryl! Ms. Greene!" Millie exclaims from the carousel as she passes and sees them this time.

"Oh!" Beth exclaims as she pulls out her phone. She quickly brings up the video and hits the record button so she can film Millie on the carousel.

"Can you send that one to me, too?" Jenny asks her softly.

"Of course," Beth smiles at her. She knows that Jenny doesn't have a cell phone, but she has email. "And I'll be sure to take a picture of all of you, too."

"Daddy!" Millie calls out as the carousel completes another turn.

"Lookin' good, baby!" Merle calls back and even from the distance, Beth can clearly see Millie's beaming smile in the video.

Millie comes running up to them a minute later and she laughs as Merle swings her up into his arms, giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek before setting her on her feet again. Jenny kisses Millie's head before gently passing her the goldfish bowl.

"Wanna take a round?" Daryl asks Beth.

"Oh, I…" _yes_ , she wants to say, but she stops herself. She shakes her head. "That's okay. I don't want to make everyone wait for us-"

"Go on, we'll wait," Merle is the one to speak up. "And then after, we'll get somethin' to eat."

Beth is smiling as Daryl takes her hand and leads her to the ticket booth, handing over the few tickets it takes to ride the ride and then he steps back so Beth can climb on first and pick her horse. Beth walks around, looking at each one, making sure she picks just the right one.

"You're takin' this pretty seriously," Daryl smirks a little.

"Shut up," she replies with no bite. "This is very serious."

"I can see that."

Beth finally decides on a bright yellow unicorn with a rainbow mane and she's smiling as she hops up, sitting side-saddle, and she only keeps smiling when she sees Daryl looking at her, smiling. She holds up her phone.

"Alrigh'," Daryl agrees.

Beth opens up her camera and then hits the button to flip it around so the camera is facing them. She then looks to Daryl again and without a word, he moves close to her. Beth points to him where he should look and as she looks at her selfie in the phone's camera, Beth is almost surprised at how completely happy she looks.

And then, she stop herself and wonders why she should be surprised. She _is_ happy and the truth is, she can't remember the last time she was this happy.

…

After the carousel comes to a stop, Beth slides down from the unicorn and Daryl's hands on her hips as if she might need help to do so. She beams up at him and standing on her toes, she kisses him and this time, Daryl doesn't hesitate in kissing her back.

"We better go. A hungry Merle is not a Merle anyone should be exposed to," Daryl says and he reaches down and takes her hand.

Beth happily follows after him and Daryl's right. As soon as they step from the ride and join his family again, Merle is talking about what they should get for lunch.

"Barbecue?" Jenny suggests.

"Yes! There's the pork tent," Beth says.

"Yes!" It's Jenny's turn to exclaim.

"Alrigh'. Can't be arguin' with the wife. Pork it is," Merle says.

"Daddy, I want pizza," Millie says.

"I've been cravin' a perch sandwich all mornin'," Daryl then says.

Millie gasps. "No, Uncle Daryl. You can't eat that!"

Daryl frowns. "Why not?"

"You can't eat fish in front of Jonah," Millie says and then looks down to her goldfish swimming in his bowl.

Daryl looks to Beth and the look on his face – _"Seriously?"_ – makes Beth smile and she turns her face, pressing it into his bicep to muffle her laughter.

"Alrigh' Millie, I won't be eatin' any fish. Don't wanna be hurtin' Jonah's feelings even though I feel I should point out that I've been in this family a hell of a lot longer than Jonah."

Beth lets out another muffled laugh into Daryl's arm before she's able to pull her head back and Daryl gives her a smile.

The five of them begin to walk towards the pork tent that Beth points them towards with Beth and Daryl walking behind Merle, Jenny and Millie walking in front of them. As they walk, Beth looks at the carnival around them. There are so many people and they are all laughing and talking and everything seems to be going smoothly. At least, she thinks it is. Pastor Douglas hasn't come and found her with some disaster. And until Pastor Douglas comes to find her, Beth is going to enjoy this; being at the carnival with her boyfriend.

As they pass a crafts tent, Beth nearly pulls on Daryl's hand so they can look. This man and woman – a husband and wife team – are here every year, selling the most beautiful wooden carvings of angels. Beth always makes a point of going to see their carvings every year and buy at least one.

She turns her head towards Daryl and actually opens her mouth, but then, she abruptly stops herself. She can't ask Daryl to go look at angel carvings with her.

She'll come back tomorrow so she can look then on her own.

…

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	17. Chapter 17

…

He gets there early – bordering on ridiculously early – but the back door is unlocked and Beth has his chair all set up against the wall for him. He walks silently into the classroom and Beth and the kids are all sitting on the carpet in the middle of the class and both Beth and Millie look when he comes in, both smiling happily at the sight of him, and Daryl smiles a little in return as he settles himself into his chair.

"Now," Beth continues, looking back to her class. "It had been three months since the Israelites left Egypt, and they set up camp at the foot of Mt. Sinai. God called to Moses from the mountain, and Moses went up to Him. God reminded Moses of how He freed the Israelites from the Pharaoh, and how the devastation in Egypt demonstrated His power and might. Then God told Moses that if the people obey His covenants, their nation would be great and holy in His sight. Then He told Moses to have the people cleanse themselves and be ready, because in three days, the Lord will come down on the mountain. The people should not attempt to go up or even touch the mountain.

So on the third day, there was thunder and lightning with a loud trumpet blast. The mountain was then covered with a thick cloud of smoke, because the Lord came onto it with fire. The whole mountain trembled and all the people were afraid. No one was allowed to go to the mountain except Moses. This was the time that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments."

Daryl makes sure his face doesn't give anything away. He likes listening to Beth during her Sunday school class. She speaks with so much passion and enthusiasm, Daryl can _almost_ forget about what she's really talking about. _Lord came onto it with fire?_ Daryl would probably snicker if he was by himself.

Sounds like nothing, but a bunch of hocus pocus to him.

But he hears the way in which Beth tells the story and the way all of the kids look at her, listening to her every word. They believe every word of it. And that's why Daryl will never snicker – even when he's by himself again. People can believe whatever the hell they want. It's none of his business; just like it's no one's business that he doesn't believe in anything.

"Alright," Beth smiles. "Who can name me some of the Ten Commandments?" She asks.

The kids all start answering at once, their answers all firing out rapidly, and Beth laughs, beaming with pride.

"Very good!" She commends them all. "Who's ready for our activity?" Beth pushes herself up to her feet and goes to her desk. "Everyone will get two grey tablets like this-" she holds two construction paper cut-outs. "And everyone is going to get one envelope. In each envelope, there are _nine_ commandments. I want you to glue the nine commandments onto your tablet and figure out which one is missing. Once you figure out which one it is, you come and tell me. I will then hand you your missing commandment."

Beth goes around to her desk and opens a small cardboard box she has placed on top. Reaching inside, all of the kids then gasp when they see what she pulls out.

"Your missing commandment is taped to the back of one of these," Beth smiles. "I have Hershey bars, Kit-Kats and Reese's."

The kids all start talking excitedly at the idea of getting such a treat.

"Alright, come and line up to get your tablets and nine commandments," she says and all of the kids stand up, hurrying to her, wanting to be the first. "Orderly, please!" She calls out over the noise.

Once all of the kids are at their tables, gluing their commandments onto their tablets and figuring out which one is missing, all wanting to get their candy bar, Beth walks around to see how they are all doing before making her way over to Daryl.

She smiles at him and Daryl has no problem in smiling at her in return.

She's wearing an dark green dress that day with her hair pulled into a loose braid over her shoulder.

"Hey, you," she smiles and there's something about the way she says those two words, it gets him a low churning in the bottom of his gut.

Christ (he probably shouldn't even silently think that word while sitting in a Sunday school classroom), she's beautiful. She really is. He wonders if she's ever scared of him because she scares the shit out of him constantly. She's too pretty; too good; just too everything and he has no way of being on the same level as her. Does she ever think that? She's a Sunday school teacher who believes in all of this stuff, but Beth is still a human and Daryl can't believe that she's _never_ thought anything bad about him before.

"Hey," Daryl greets in return, sitting up a little taller in his chair. "I wanted to ask you somethin'."

"Alright," Beth says and she's still just standing there, looking at him and smiling.

He wonders if she even realizes how she's smiling at him all of the time. It's not like he minds. Nothing like that. Actually, he likes it a lot. No one has smiled at him the way that Beth does; let alone smile as much as Beth smiles at him.

"I was thinkin' 'bout gettin' some carry-out from Best Butts later today and was wonderin'… hopin'," he amends. "That you and Frank would want to come over for dinner and a movie."

Beth's smile only seems to grow. "That sounds so perfect, Daryl," she says and Daryl has no idea why he had been so nervous, suggesting this; as if he expected Beth to refuse him and his invitation. But when he hears her answer, he exhales a deep sigh. "Pulled pork sandwich?" She then requests.

"You got it," Daryl nods. "'round two work for you?"

"Sounds perfect," Beth agrees and Daryl just wants to stand up and kiss her; wondering if she will still be smiling even as he kisses her, but that's definitely not something he can do with all of these kids around.

"Ms. Greene!" One of the boys come running up to her. "Thou shalt not kill!"

"Alright. Let's go check, Jake," she says with a slight laugh at the boy's enthusiasm and Daryl watches as she walks off with the boy to go and look over his tablets.

Class is finished in another half hour with all of the kids holding their precious candy bars and their parents coming to collect them after service.

"Look, Uncle Daryl," Millie happily shows him the Reese's package in her hand, practically bouncing on her toes with the excitement from having it. He knows Reese's are her favorite.

"I see, girl," Daryl smiles down at her. She had gotten it for her missing commandment _Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery_. Daryl wonders how Beth had explained that one to the kids when teaching them. "Ready to head home?" He asks her.

"Yep! Bye Ms. Greene!" Millie calls out to Beth, who is standing at the front door of the classroom, speaking with two parents, but she turns her head and smiles, giving Millie a wave, and to Daryl, her smile softens and Daryl's own lips twitch in his own version of a smile before herding Millie out the back door to his bike.

"Are you gonna marry Ms. Greene?" Millie asks, skipping along at Daryl's side.

"That's not the first time you've asked me that," Daryl does his best to frown at his niece.

Millie just keeps grinning though. "I heard mama and daddy talkin' when I should have been asleep. They were sayin' that you love Ms. Greene."

"Why weren't you asleep?" Daryl asks her, deciding to act as if that's the point of what she's just said.

It's better than focusing on the other part.

No, he's not going to marry Beth. At least, he doesn't think he is. When Merle was locked up and he went places with Jenny and Millie, he _would_ pretend that they were his wife and daughter, but he never has told anyone that and that's all it was. Pretend. It's not like he wanted Jenny for himself. He loves Jenny, but not like that. It was just that idea of having a wife and a kid of his own.

Can he imagine having that with Beth?

It's not the _most_ ridiculous fantasy he's ever had.

"I like Ms. Greene," Millie then states, still skipping.

"Me, too," Daryl says, seeing no reason as to why he should even pretend to hide that fact.

They get to his bike and he gets her pink helmet.

"Do you love her?" Millie asks with the cheekiest grin he swears he's ever seen.

"Christ," Daryl mutters.

"That's a quarter, Uncle Daryl," Millie reminds him gleefully.

"Get your butt up on that bike," he says and she just giggles.

…

Daryl spends the rest of his late morning meticulously going over his trailer, making sure that it's clean and presentable though he knows there's no reason why it wouldn't be. He always keeps his trailer clean whether he has company coming over or not.

He's washed Frank's bowls and once he dries them off, Daryl sets them on the floor, in their places, again. He has already called Best Butts with his and Beth's order and since Daryl lives too far out for delivery, he will have to go pick it up and he'll have to leave in a little bit to get there and back before Beth gets here. He makes sure the toilet in the bathroom is flushed and the towels hanging on the bar next to the sink are clean. He also makes sure that there is plenty of toilet paper on the hanging roll.

And though he knows there's no point to it since there's no way Beth will be back here tonight, Daryl makes sure that his bed is neatly made and all of his clothes are put away – either in the drawers or hanging in the closet or tossed into the hamper.

Has he thought about sex with Beth? Yes. Of course he has. He's a straight guy and Beth is a beautiful woman who doesn't seem to mind when he kisses her or holds her hand. Would anyone be surprised to find out that he's thought about it? He just knows they're not at that place with each other yet. They're just starting out and he isn't for one to rush into things and he thinks Beth is the same. Not to mention that he doesn't know what Beth's thoughts are on sex. She goes to church and teaches Sunday school.

Does she think about sex at all?

Thinking that the trailer is as good as it's going to be, Daryl leaves and heads to Best Butts to pick up their food. And the entire time there, and the entire time back home, Daryl feels a pull in his stomach that takes him too long to actually be able to recognize.

He's excited. He has seen her just a couple of hours earlier, but already, he's excited to see her again.

And it makes him think of Millie's question from earlier.

 _Do you love her?_

Daryl thinks of the question in his head and he focuses on the pull in his stomach and his immediate answer to the question isn't a flat-out _no_.

Two minutes after two, there is a knock on the door and Daryl frowns a little when he hears it. He hadn't heard Beth's car pull up so he knows that it's not her so who else would it be and how soon can Daryl get rid of them before Beth does get here?

"Hey," Daryl says, still frowning when he opens the door. "Where's your car?"

Beth smiles as she stands on his steps, Frank's leash looped around her wrist and the bull terrier sniffing at the ground for any new scents since he's been here last.

"Frank and I decided to walk. It's such a beautiful day," she says.

"You walked?" Daryl says as if he's never heard of such a thing.

"It's just three miles," Beth informs him and he pushes the door open wider and she steps inside, Frank following in after her. "Hi," she then says and Daryl barely registers it as Beth tilts her head up and kisses him.

"'m drivin' you home later," Daryl tells her. "You ain't walkin' back home if it's dark out. I don't care if it's three miles or not."

Beth just smiles and unhooks Frank from his leash before slipping out of her shoes. Daryl closes and locks the door once more and then heads towards the kitchen.

"I just got back from pickin' food up so it should still be plenty hot," he tells her.

"Ever since you mentioned it this morning, my stomach has not stopped growling," Beth says, following him into the kitchen, one of her hands rubbing her stomach for emphasis.

Daryl smiles, looking at her, and Beth gives him a smile in return, but something about it makes him pause.

He has seen Beth smile plenty of times by now, but this smile, something about it isn't right.

"Everythin' alrigh'?" He asks.

"Mm-hmm," Beth nods, going to collect plates from the cabinet.

Well, that's bullshit, Daryl nearly snorts to himself. "Anythin' you wanna talk about?" He then offers.

Beth turns to look at him and she's _really_ looking at him as if she can't believe that he's just offered that. Daryl nearly shifts on his feet, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. Why shouldn't she believe that? Beth can talk to him. She knows that. Or… maybe she doesn't. She obviously doesn't.

"I know I ain't talkin' all the time," he shrugs. "But 'm a pretty good listener."

Beth pauses and then shakes her head. "No, it's alright. Really."

Daryl can't help, but smirk. "You were just goin' over your Ten Commandments this mornin' and you're breakin' one right now. One 'bout lyin' or somethin'."

"They're not _my_ Ten Commandments," Beth says as she opens one of the carry-out bags. "They belong to everyone. And I'm not lying to you."

"'s fine," Daryl says, putting her order of a pulled pork sandwich and fries onto one of the plates. "Jus' know that I don't believe you when you say nothin's wrong."

"Just because I don't want to talk about something, doesn't mean that everything isn't alright," Beth says to him with a frown now. "I just don't want to talk about it."

"In general or to me?" Daryl asks and he can't help, but wonder that.

What does it mean if Beth keeps things from him and doesn't want to talk to him about things? Yeah, there's a bunch of shit he doesn't talk to her about, but he thinks that maybe, someday, he will. Is Beth keeping things from him in the same manner? Not wanting to tell him now, but maybe, someday, changing that?

"Since you want me to be honest and I want to be honest to you, too…" Beth takes a deep breath. "There's certain things I don't talk to you about."

Daryl's pretty sure he's been expecting that answer, but it makes him go still all the same. He stands there, staring at her, and his arms slowly come to cross across his chest.

"Huh," he says; all he's able to say.

"I just know that they are things you don't want to hear about," Beth rushes to further explain. "Church things. I know you don't want to hear about things at church."

"Why do you know that? Did I tell you I don't wanna hear 'bout church things?" He asks.

"Daryl…" Beth smiles a little and shakes her head. "Of course you don't want to hear about church things. That is something anyone can guess correctly. I've been doing you a favor."

Daryl just keeps looking at her and his frown grows deeper. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Beth stops setting out their food and blinks at him. "Are we fighting?" She then asks, uncertainty in her voice. "I don't… I don't want to fight, Daryl."

"Well, that's jus' too damn bad, because yeah, Beth. We are fightin'," he snaps though he has no idea why.

Hell, no he doesn't want to fight. He hates fighting and he has a feeling that fighting with Beth will make him feel sick, but there's something inside of him that can't stop. She doesn't talk to him and she does it purposely; well aware of what she's doing and well aware that she's keeping things from him.

"I don't want to fight – especially something as stupid as to whether I talk to you about certain things or not. I want to eat barbecue and watch a horror movie with you," Beth says.

"That's jus' too damn bad!" Daryl exclaims, his voice a little raised, and he sees the way that Beth jumps a little in surprise with the volume increase.

And there it is. Right on cue, Daryl is beginning to feel sick. Suddenly, he sees his dad, shouting and making his mama jump like that. He forces himself to take a deep breath. He doesn't want to fight, but this is important for him to know.

"You've been keepin' things from me? On purpose?" He asks her.

Beth visibly swallows and then nods.

She takes a step back from him and that just about kills him.

She's scared of him. Right in that moment, she's scared of him and how he'll react to her head nod.

"Get out, Beth," Daryl says, turning away, not able to look at her anymore.

He's made her jump, he's made her step back from him.

 _He's made her afraid._ Of him.

She might as well have just punched him in the stomach with a 2x4 plank of wood for as sick as he feels.

"Daryl," she begins to say.

"Go on, Beth. Get out."

His voice isn't harsh. It's quiet. And tired.

He still doesn't look at her as he feels her hesitate for another moment longer and the she is rushing from the kitchen. He can hear her – putting on her shoes, grabbing Frank's leash and hooking the dog again. And then the door is being unlocked and opened and then she's gone, the screen door slapping shut behind her.

There's absolute silence that stays behind.

Daryl pulls a chair from the table and sinks heavily into it, jamming his elbows on the table and then holding his head in his hands.

He has absolutely no idea what the hell just happened. Beth got here and there was something wrong, but she hadn't wanted to talk about it and he should have just let it go. So she didn't want to talk about it. There's plenty of times where Daryl, himself, doesn't feel like talking much at all either.

But this was something more. She's not talking to him about certain things on purpose. So he doesn't go to church. So what? She does and it's not like he doesn't know that about her. He wants her to be able to talk to him about anything. Will he care? Maybe. Maybe not. But that doesn't mean…

He stops himself. _That_ is exactly why Beth won't talk to him about things that go on at church. Because she doesn't know if he'll actually care or not. Daryl just admitted to himself that he doesn't know that either.

Is he really going to act offended and hurt over Beth not talking to him about things when Daryl _just_ admitted that to himself? He can't blame her for keeping things from him. But…

But just because he doesn't know if he'll actually care or not, that doesn't mean that he doesn't want her to be able to talk to him. Listening to Beth talk – and passionately, too, about something – has become one of his favorite things in this world to do. When she talks and he can just sit there, listening to her voice, it's one of the best things he can ever do, to be honest.

 _That_ is what he should have told her just now instead of picking a fight with her and _scaring_ her.

He needs to go after her and get her back here and say he's sorry and he's a prick, but he's going to try and work much harder on not being a prick around her.

But Daryl stops himself before he can even stand up from the chair.

No. He'll let her go today and he'll try talking to her later tonight or he'll go by and see her tomorrow. Talking to him is probably the last thing she wants to do right now – even more so now than before.

No. He'll let her go and he'll talk to her later and apologize to her as many times as it takes.

 _Do you love her?_

Yes, Daryl answers this time. He does. And when he apologizes, he'll make sure that she knows that she can talk to him about anything and he promises to always listen and he promises that he will never, _never_ scare her again. He's been scared enough by people in his life and he never wants her to be scared in her life; especially by him.

…

Daryl wakes up to a pounding and for a disoriented moment, he thinks it's a pounding in his head.

It takes him another long moment to realize that it's someone at his trailer, pounding on the front door.

The bedroom is dark – light from a streetlight outside weakly trying to push in through the window blinds – and as Daryl pulls himself from the bed, he catches the red neon numbers of his clock. It's just after one.

Who in the hell is pounding on his door at one o'clock in the morning?

"Merle," Daryl croaks when he opens the door and sees his brother standing there.

Merle is wearing a white wife-beater tank and pajamas pants and there's a phone in his hand.

"What the hell are you doin'?" Daryl asks, unlocking the screen door and pushing it open.

Merle holds out the phone immediately. "It's Hershel Greene. He didn't have your phone number, but he has ours from Beth's Sunday school class list."

"Hershel…?" Daryl says as if he doesn't know what that name means and he takes the phone, slowly bringing it to his ear. "'ello?" He speaks, his stomach already plummeting into his feet.

Why is Hershel Greene calling him at one o'clock in the morning? There is no good reason for that, he knows.

"Daryl," Hershel sighs with relief when he hears Daryl's voice. "Is Beth with you?"

Daryl shakes his head for a second before he realizes that Hershel can't see him. "No. She left hours ago. Wha'-"

"She hasn't come home," Hershel cuts in. "Her mother and I saw her when she left to go to see you this afternoon, but that was… she's not home. She hasn't been home and if she's not with you…"

Daryl doesn't realize his knees have started to give out at Hershel's words until Merle rushes forward and his arm wraps around Daryl's waist, catching him before he can drop to the floor.

…

* * *

 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	18. Chapter 18

…

"It'll be okay, Frank. I promise it will be okay," Beth does her best to assure the dog as Frank whines in pain.

She tilts her head up and looks to the opening of the hole. It's completely dark now and she knows that she and Frank have been down here for hours now. She's still not entirely sure what has happened – even hours later. She and Frank had been walking home from Daryl's – her eyes stinging and flooding with tears – and Beth admits that she had been distracted, going over everything that had just happened with Daryl.

They had fought. At least, _he_ had. She hadn't wanted to fight. She hates fights of any kind. But Daryl had been so angry. _At her_. And it's all her fault, she knows, but she had truly thought she was doing the right thing. Daryl doesn't go to church. He doesn't believe in any of the things she does. So why would she ever think that he would want to hear about church council meetings or choir practices or how one of the parents of one of the children in her Sunday school class didn't want her to teach the children the story of Sodom and Gomorrah because that story is just too scandalous for little ears and they can't believe that Beth would even _think_ about teaching that Bible story to young children.

She is in love with Daryl, but she honestly can't imagine him being interested in it so why share it with him?

Apparently, that had been all wrong though and Daryl had gotten angry and yelled and for one moment – one split second she regrets – Beth found herself afraid. Daryl is bigger than her and he had been angry and… Beth knows that Daryl would _never_ hurt her. But there had been that split second when she had been unsure.

Beth and Frank walked the dirt road out of the trailer park and then began heading down the two-land back-country road back towards the farm and she had been crying and chastising herself because she's ruined everything. Frank, suddenly, though let out a bark and tore off – Beth not paying attention and the end of the leash ripping right from her hand.

"Frank!" She called after the dog, but whatever it was that Frank had smelled, it was all he could focus on.

He had run into the woods and Beth hadn't hesitated in running after him.

"Frank!" She called after him again, but he was too fast, not stopping.

Beth had felt a sharpness on her cheek and knew that a tree branch had just cut her face, but she hadn't stopped running after the dog.

She's still not sure what Frank has fallen into. One moment he was running and the next, leaves and sticks flew up as he fell into the ground. She then heard a yelp of pain and she pushed herself to run faster.

"Frank!" She screamed after him.

Beth knows now that she hadn't thought the situation through, but it's too late for that.

She hadn't thought. All she knew was her dog fell down sort of hole and Beth was going in after him.

She got to the edge of the hole and looked down. It wasn't too far down and she still didn't know what it was, but none of that mattered because Frank was lying on the ground beneath her, crying and his leg bleeding, he having cut it on something.

"It's okay, Frank," Beth said, swinging her legs over the side and jumping down carefully.

She landed with a soft thud and taking off her hooded sweatshirt, she then took off her tee-shirt she had layered beneath it. She ignored the fact that she was wearing her black lace bra – the only real article of fancy lingerie she owned. That afternoon with Daryl, she had thought they could…

Well, that didn't matter anymore. Certainly not now.

Putting her sweatshirt back on, she then looked over Frank's back leg carefully, not wanting to hurt him anymore. The cut was deep and blood was seeping out. He must have caught it on something as he had fallen. Frank let out another yelp as Beth tied the tee-shirt around his leg tightly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Beth murmured, her lips to the top of his head.

She finally took a moment to look around. They had fallen into some sort of underground tunnel. She wondered if this led anywhere, but she wasn't about to go exploring. She had no light, she had no idea where she would be going, and her dog was seriously injured. She wasn't about to leave Frank for anything.

It was only when Beth stood up did she realize how serious her situation was.

She had fallen and the opening of the hole above her head was too high to jump and pull herself up. She and Frank were stuck down here. And absolutely no one knew where they were.

Hours later and night has fallen and in just her leggings and hooded sweatshirt, Beth feels as if every shiver that quakes through her body is more violent through the last. Frank is still whimpering and his blood has soaked through her tee-shirt. Beth wraps herself around the dog – both to try and keep herself warm and to try her best to give him comfort.

"What's the point of cell phones if they don't have reception when you fall into a hole and _need_ them?" Beth mutters. Frank turns his head and gives her a weak lick on the chin, looking at her with miserable eyes. "Thank you, sweetheart," Beth smiles at him and hugs him tighter. "I'm not going to leave you, Frank. I promise. We're in this together."

She knows they might very well freeze down here tonight. As the night goes on, it only gets colder, her shivers grow more intense and both hers and the dog's breath appears in front of them in sharp clouds. Her cheek had been aching as well, but that had worn off as the hours have gone by. She's sure the blood is frozen on her skin.

As the hours had gone by, Beth had been absolutely terrified, but now, there's a sense of calm that has settled over her that has replaced her fear. In the back of her mind, she wonders if that's just her body, freezing over. But she's not afraid anymore.

Whatever is to happen will happen, she tells herself. God will take care of her. She knows He will.

But if He wouldn't mind sending some help along hers and Frank's way, she would greatly appreciate it.

…

Daryl tears out of his trailer, dressed now – in layers, too, so when he _does_ find Beth, he'll have something to put on her. He remembers that she was only wearing those leggings girls seem to like to wear and a hooded sweatshirt along with her tennis shoes and no socks. No matter where she is, she's going to be freezing.

He also has his crossbow with him – just in case. He's not going out here, in the dark, to look for Beth and not have himself armed with something if he runs into something other than Beth out there.

"Daryl!" Merle calls out from his own trailer and he pushes open the screen door, hopping up and down as he tugs on his boot.

Daryl is very aware of his heart beating right now, it pounding so loudly in his ears, he can't hear anything else. As he waits for Merle, Daryl studies the ground, shining the flashlight he's brought with him. Hershel's told him that the police are out, coming the road from here to the farmhouse and the woods on either side and Daryl just hopes that they're not fucking up any trail even though he knows they are.

In. Out. In. Out.

He'll be useless to Beth if he can't even get himself to breathe right now. He has to find her. It's been hours since she's left him and no one has seen her since. It's only three miles between his trailer and the Greene farm. Two destination points that are separated by woods and farm fields. It may seem like a small amount, but three miles is plenty for a person to lose themselves in – especially in the woods in the dark. A person can get themselves turned around like a pretzel in there if they don't know what they're doing.

And he loves Beth, but he knows that she wouldn't have a clue as to what she's doing if she's lost in there.

Merle gets to him, panting from having gotten dressed so quickly, and instead of running, Daryl begins walking. He's not going to run and miss something. Beth didn't run out of here so he's going to take the same pace that she did.

Merle has his own flashlight shining on the ground and they both know that he's not as good a tracker as Daryl is – he's never really had the patience for it – but Daryl is thankful for the second pair of eyes.

At the end of the dirt road from the trailer park, Daryl turns west onto the paved road that leads towards the farm. He walks on the asphalt, but keeps his flashlight shining on the gravel shoulder, knowing that Beth would have walked there instead of in the road even if there were no cars. Her prints are faint after hours, but he can still see them.

Up ahead, he can see the flashing red and blue lights from the two police squad cars parked, but Daryl doesn't even glance towards them. He's not lifting his eyes from this ground until he sees which Beth went.

"I'll go tell 'em to stop messin' the trail up," Merle says and Daryl nods in acknowledgement, but stays silent.

Merle jogs past him to get to the cops and Daryl shines his light on the ground, falling Beth's trail. She was here. Just a few hours ago. She was here, walking home and probably either crying or cursing his name.

When he sees her again – and he _will_ see her again – he's going to say he's sorry and he's going to say that he's an idiot and he's going to tell her that he loves her.

He stops and studies the ground. Frank's paw prints have just disappeared from the gravel.

Moving his flashlight and carefully stepping over the gravel shoulder, Daryl crouches down, looking at the tall grass that is growing here. He sees the way the blades are bent. Yes, Frank definitely ran off this way. And he sees the impressions on the blades of grass that have been crushed on the ground. And Beth followed him.

He takes a deep breath and his flashlight follows the path as he remains crouching down. Sure enough, the light heads right into the trees, disappearing in the darkness in front of him.

Alright, this is where it's really going to get hard. Tracking during the day is no problem, but in the woods, at night? Most people don't understand the darkness of the woods at night. They're used to seeing how the woods look at night in the movies – when there's always a full moon glowing in the sky and there's lights off camera to provide an extra something to be used to see.

This isn't a movie though. This is real life and there's no moon tonight and there's no lights around. There's just him and his flashlight.

But he can do this. Beth needs him to do this. It won't be his first time in the woods at night.

Daryl's just not going to think about how he's never had to track anything more important than this right now. It's best if he doesn't think about it, to be honest, so his mind stays focused on the task at hand. He's not going to think about Beth, possibly cold, probably freezing somewhere. It makes him want to hurry instead of taking his careful, cautious pace.

He steps through the grass, following the path and stops right at the edge of the woods. His tongue darts out to wet his dry lips and his sweaty fingers loosen and then tighten around his flashlight once more.

"Please," he whispers out loud. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Please help me find her."

Daryl has no idea if He's listening – and if He is, why would He listen to a guy like Daryl? – but Daryl figures there's no harm in asking for help right now. Besides, this is Beth Greene Daryl is trying to find and if there's one person the big guy upstairs loves, if there is someone up there, it's Beth Greene.

Opening his eyes and with one more deep breath, Daryl takes his first step into the woods.

He crouches down again to study the ground, needing to know which way Frank had run off in and which way Beth had followed him in.

He hears Merle come up behind him.

"Cops are layin' off for the moment," Merle tells him and Daryl, still crouched down, gives a silent nod. "Also gave me a bag of stuff that might be useful if we find her."

Daryl's head whips up to look at his brother with slightly narrowed eyes.

" _When_ we find her," Merle quickly repairs, realizing his mistake immediately.

Daryl doesn't say anything to that as he stands up once more, his knees cracking. "She went this way."

The two walk slowly, both lights shining down to the ground, both stepping on either side of Beth's trail.

The story Daryl sees in front of him is a pretty obvious one. Judging by these hurried prints, Frank had obviously smelled something in these woods and had gone, tearing off after it, Beth running after him. Something must have happened then, but what, Daryl is still waiting for that answer.

Merle moves his flashlight further ahead. "Careful. Hole up ahead."

Daryl's head shoots up at those words and follows his brother's weak path of light.

And there's the answer.

Daryl hurries right for that hole. "Beth!" He calls out.

There's no answer, but Daryl drops onto the ground at the hole's edge nonetheless and shines his light down. It's not a deep hole – thank God, Daryl doesn't stop himself from thinking that – but it'd be too deep for Beth to climb herself out herself. And he's going to figure that she didn't get phone reception down here.

Daryl's still trying to figure out the point of cell phones if they don't help when you need them to help.

"Beth," he says her name again, not taking his light off of her.

Her body's curled around Frank's body and her eyes are closed. Daryl swears her skin looks a little blue. Frank then lifts his head, slowly, and cranes it up, but with the light shining, Daryl knows that he can't tell it's him. Daryl moves the light just enough for the dog to see his face.

"Hey, boy. We're gettin' you out of there," Daryl swears as he sees the bloody shirt wrapped around the dog's leg. Dog's probably lost too much blood for too much of a reaction.

Merle has dropped the bag down on the ground next to them – Daryl hasn't even noticed Merle come up to the hole as well. "Le's see what the cops gave us," Merle says and then holding the flashlight between his teeth, he unzips the bag. The first thing he pulls out is a long length of thick rope.

Without a word, Merle stands up and Daryl sits up on his knees, watching as Merle hands Daryl one end of the rope to hold and taking the other, Merle walks to the nearest tree, circling the trunk twice with the rope before walking back towards Daryl.

"Wrap that end around your waist," Merle instructs. "'m gonna lower you down."

Daryl nods silently and does as Merle tells him. Daryl feels as if his mind has shut down and all he can do is follow Merle's instructions and think about the faint blue of Beth's skin.

"Get the dog first and then you get her," Merle says and again, Daryl nods.

"I might be able to get 'em at the same time," Daryl finally is able to speak. "If you could 'andle the weight."

"Pssh," Merle smirks. "Girl and dog probably weigh a hundred pounds combined. Ain't nothin' to do in prison 'cept work out. Don't know if _you_ can handle both at the same time." He pulls out a pair of gloves from the bag next and tugs them on over his hands.

"'m gonna try," Daryl says and then positions himself on the edge of hole, his legs hanging over the edge.

Beth still hasn't moved even with Frank sitting up and giving her face a lick. She stirs, but doesn't wake.

"'ere we go, baby brother," Merle says and Daryl pushes himself off and Merle grunts and grinds his teeth together as Daryl slowly is lowered into the hole.

He's back on the ground in no time and Daryl kneels down next to Beth. He immediately takes off his coat and covers her body with it.

"Beth," he tries again. She stirs again, but her eyes remain closed. He begins rubbing her arms and looks to Frank. "I know you're hurtin' and we're gonna get you both to a doctor," he tells the dog. "But I need you to help me do somethin' first."

Frank stares at him and Daryl swears that this dog is listening to every word he's saying right now; not only listening, but understanding, too.

"I'm gonna put Beth in my arms and I wan' you to rest on her stomach. You don't weigh that much," Daryl says. "And then, my brother is gonna pull all three of us up. I need you to stay still on Beth, got it? Don't go leapin' off and hurtin' yourself more."

Frank just keeps staring at him and Daryl realizing that he's actually been waiting; as if the dog is going to give him a response of some kind. He shakes his head at himself.

He slips his arms beneath Beth's frame and easily gets her adjusted in his arms to where he needs her to be. Merle's right. The girl probably weighs a hundred pounds and not much more than that and he wonders how she manages that because she ate two funnel cakes damn near herself at the church carnival.

Daryl makes sure the coat is still covering Beth and he hopes that his body heat only helps her faster.

"Alrigh', Frank. 's your turn."

He watches as the dog hobbles himself on three legs and clumsily climbs onto Beth's front. Daryl's not going to tell the dog this, but that leg doesn't look good.

"We're good, Merle!" Daryl calls up.

As Merle begins pulling them up slowly, Beth stirs again, her head resting against his chest. "Daryl," she then murmurs and Daryl's pretty sure his name's ever sounded better.

He rests his head to her – cold – forehead. "Yeah, girl. 's me."

"I knew you'd come," she whispered. "I prayed for you."

Daryl feels a stinging in his eyes he doesn't necessarily understand and his lips stay to her forehead. "I prayed for you, too," he tells her quietly and he doesn't know for sure – he might very well be imagining it – but even with her eyes closed and still barely conscious, Daryl swears that Beth smiles.

…

* * *

 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**This chapter is almost a filler even though plenty still happens in it. It really is like a bridge, leading to the next chapter.**

* * *

…

"Daryl."

Someone says his name softly and it gently pushes its way into Daryl's sleeping brain. His eyes are slow to open and there is half a second where he completely forgets where he is.

But then, he focuses on Maggie Greene, Beth's older sister, standing in front of him, and he bolts upright.

He's fallen asleep in one of the chairs in the hospital waiting room. He remembers now. He's been here for hours – ever since he carried Beth and Merle had carried Frank from the woods and the ambulance had rushed both to the hospital. Merle and Daryl went back home and Daryl went into his trailer just long enough to change and drop his crossbow off before going to the hospital in his truck, knowing that he should get some sleep, but not wanting to have distance between him and Beth at the moment. Now that he's found her, he's not ready to not let her be clear across town.

"Is she okay?" Daryl asks, his voice still gruff with sleep though the rest of him is alert.

Maggie gives him a small smile and nods. "My daddy wanted to talk with you about Frank."

Daryl feels his heart lurch at that. Oh, shit. "Is _he_ okay?" He asks next.

"Come on," is all Maggie says.

Based on the things Beth has said about her older sister, Daryl would expect Maggie to hate him on sight. After all, she had given Zach a hard time and if Maggie had found any issue with her sister dating a guy like Zach, there's no way that Maggie would ever have any sort of approval in regards to Daryl Dixon.

But Daryl supposes that being the one to search for Beth and finally, successfully, find her has lifted Maggie's opinion of him that would have, otherwise, been lower than dirt.

Daryl stands up, his body stiff and sore from having been sitting in a chair for so long, and he follows Maggie down the hallway. She pauses however and once Daryl is at her side does she begin to walk again. It's late – or early depending on how a person looks at it – and the hospital is quiet except for the nurses and doctors working the night shift, heading into different rooms to check on the sleeping patients.

He catches a glimpse at the clock hanging by the nurse's station. It's almost five o'clock in the morning. He's lost all sense of time. It's only been three, almost four hours since he's found Beth and she's been brought here. _Only_. Daryl feels like he's been here for days already – and he's not even Beth's family. He can only imagine how it has been for them since they got the call that Beth has been found and is going to the hospital. He saw how her folks with her and he's heard how Maggie is with her. Beth is their baby. If he was scared out of his mind when he found out she was lost, he knows it was a thousand times worse for them.

Daryl bites back a yawn and scrubs a hand tiredly over his face.

"You don't have to stay," Maggie says, glancing towards him.

Daryl instantly shakes his head. "I ain't goin' anywhere."

And that seems to have been the correct answer for Maggie because a slight smile twitches her lips, but she doesn't say anything else.

Beth hasn't talked that _much_ about her older sister, but the things she has said, Daryl's been able to read between her words pretty damn good. That's another thing he's able to do better than others. He's able to hear the words people _don't_ say when they talk. Like his mama. Her "I'm fine" always meant "He beat the shit out of me again" or "Daryl's so clumsy" always meant "Will broke his arm in a rage last night". When Beth talks about her sister, she has said that Maggie left White Hill as soon as she was able and moved out to California with her boyfriend and from what Beth _hasn't_ said, Maggie doesn't understand her sister for wanting to stay in their small town, being the youth director at church.

Beth hadn't said that Maggie was back in town. Of course, he hadn't given her much a chance to say anything to him before he was kicking her out of his trailer.

Daryl nearly cringes. He's not ready to think about that yet though.

Hershel and Annette are standing at a coffee machine in a little break room, talking softly, and both stop and look up when they see Maggie and Daryl step inside. At the sight of him, both parents break into smiles. Annette sets her coffee down on the table and comes to Daryl, putting her arms around him in a hug. She had done this earlier, too, and Daryl still doesn't know what to do.

This woman was a barracuda the first time he met her; wanting to make sure that he was someone worthy of her daughter. (He's not, but Annette doesn't seem to agree with that right now) And now, she's hugging him.

"I'm sorry that Maggie had to wake you up. I know you're as exhausted as all of us," Hershel says once Annette steps back and Hershel gives that warm smile of his with his twinkling eyes to Daryl.

He's surprised he fell asleep at all, to be honest. He hasn't seen Beth since he watched the paramedics load her into the back of the ambulance and he knows that going home would be the smart thing to do, but the last thing Daryl wants to do is leave whether he sees her or not.

"Maggie said somethin' about Frank," he says; his voice not as rough anymore.

"I have a friend who is also a vet who was able to care for Frank tonight and that leg of his while I've been here," Hershel says and then pauses.

Daryl finds himself stiffening. No, not Frank. Not after everything Beth did to try and save that dog.

"Unfortunately, he had to amputate Frank's back leg but other than that, he's going to be fine," Hershel says and Daryl understands the words the man has just said, but his brain isn't understanding them together.

How the fuck can he be alright if they had to chop his leg off?

"There are plenty of perfectly healthy three-legged dogs in this world," Hershel says, still with the same smile, and Daryl realizes that he has said that question out loud. "Frank will adapt and he'll be just fine."

Daryl exhales a heavy breath that had been tangled in his legs.

"We do have a favor," Annette speaks up now. "As if we have any right to ask you of anything _more_."

"Anythin'," Daryl readily agrees without needing to think about it. _Anything for Beth_ goes unspoken.

"Frank is going to need someone to keep a close eye on him for the next few days and since we're going to be here at the hospital until Beth can come home…" Annette trails off, clearing her throat as if nervous about what she is about to ask Daryl.

Hershel takes over to finish what his wife cannot. "Would your brother and his family be able to watch Frank for these next few days until we can take him home with us again?"

"I'll give 'em a call," Daryl says.

Considering how Millie and Jenny _and_ Merle all feel about Beth, he can't imagine them telling him 'no' and once she wakes up, Daryl doubts that Beth will want him hanging around the hospital so he'll be able to help take care of Frank, too.

Annette looks like she's on the verge of tears and again, she comes to Daryl and gives him another hug.

"You're such a good man," she whispers to him then.

Daryl doesn't say anything as the woman pulls back and looks at him with a watery smile. Her daughter's in the hospital, she's running on just about no sleep and Daryl figures she just doesn't know what she's saying.

…

Beth's eyes flutter open and she has absolutely no idea where she is. The room is white; so white, it's nearly blinding and she has to close her eyes almost as soon as shehas opened them.

Is she dead?

This isn't quite what she has ever imagined it to be like and of course she's tried to imagine what Heaven is like. Most people have done that at one point in their lives or another. And probably like most of them, Beth has imagined that Heaven is white. Just not _this_ white? Heaven wouldn't be blinding, would it? It's supposed to be a beauty that no person on earth can even fathom, but what's the point of that beauty if people are too blind upon entering Heaven to see it?

She'll try again. It might just be the shock of being here that has caused her inability to see anything.

She opens her eyes again – slowly.

Huh. That's… interesting.

It's a yellow balloon. An emoji balloon, to be exact, with heart eyes. Actually, it's an entire bouquet of balloons and along with the heart-eyes emoji balloon, there are white, green and yellow balloons and another emoji balloon; this one the smiling face with the blush on the cheeks.

Beth moves her eyes slowly. This isn't heaven. It's a room. There are cabinets and a television hanging from the ceiling, bolted to the wall, and there are so many more balloons and flower arrangements everywhere. There is a beeping noise, too, and shifting her eyes to the side, she sees a machine next to her and the beeps are steady… oh. Oh! It's a hospital room. Not Heaven.

Well, that's a bit of a letdown _only_ because to be in a hospital room when a person thought they were in Heaven, it can be disappointing. But then, she realizes that she's not in Heaven because she's still alive and that is so beautiful and wonderful.

She doesn't remember much. The woods and a hole and holding Frank and just being so, so cold and drifting off to sleep. And then Daryl. There was Daryl. Or did she just imagine him being there because that was who she wanted down in that hole with her more than anyone?

Turning her head on her pillow, Beth looks to the other side of the bed and she nearly gasps. Daryl's here. He's actually here and she is almost completely convinced that she's awake and she's not dreaming right now. She hopes she's not dreaming.

He doesn't know she's awake yet. He's sitting in the chair next to the bed, his arm folded up onto the armrest, his head resting against his fist and he's reading something. She recognizes it almost immediately and when she does, she lets out a breathless laugh.

Daryl's eyes immediately fly up to the bed and when his eyes meet hers, he goes very still.

"Are you reading the Bible?" Beth decides to speak first.

It takes him another moment of just staring at her before he shakes his head slightly. "Yeah," he answers with a slight smirk. "Was there in the table," he says and leaning forward, he returns the Bible into the drawer of the bedside table. He remains leaning forward, never taking his eyes off of her face. "Not the worst thing I've ever read."

Beth lets out another breathless laugh. "Which story were you reading?"

He shrugs. "Jus' opened it to a random page. Jesus was savin' the Synagogue Leader's daughter."

Beth knows that story. "Don't be afraid; just believe," she recites from memory.

"That's the one," Daryl nods and then he's quiet, just staring at her as if he, too, is needing this time to assure himself that she's awake and he's not dreaming. "How are you feelin'?" He asks then in a low voice.

"What happened?" She asks and she wants to take his hand, but she realizes that every inch of her, except her head is covered with blankets. _A lot_ of blankets.

"Do you remember anything?" Daryl's eyes are set on her face and they aren't moving anywhere else.

Beth thinks that question over – _really_ thinking it over before giving an answer – and she's frustrated when she realizes that, no, she can't remember anything after a certain point.

She is slow to shake her head. "Frank!" She then gasps. "Is Frank okay?"

Daryl swallows and then nods his head. "Yeah, he's okay. He… he had to have surgery on his leg."

Beth is watching his face closely and she's never felt this before, but maybe down in that hole, something in her head got jarred because now she feel like she can. She feels like she can read Daryl's face.

"He lost the leg, didn't he?" Beth guesses and Daryl's eyes widening slightly is all the answer she needs. "I knew he might. The cut was deep and he was bleeding and I couldn't do anything for him-"

"You were there with 'im and you didn't leave 'im," Daryl cuts in. "Of course, you did somethin' for 'im."

"He's okay though? Three legs and all?" Beth asks and she wants to cry even though she's not sure why.

God has only taken Frank's leg. It could have been worse. So much worse. She needs to remember that. She'll get out of the hospital – she assumes she will – and she'll have her dog. It doesn't matter to her how many legs he has.

Daryl smiles a little at her question and he leans forward a little bit more; as if he wants to be closer to her and the bed without making it obvious to her. "Three legs and all, he's doin' great. He's stayin' with Merle, Jenny and Millie and you might have to fight Jenny to get 'im back."

Beth lets out a laugh – still as breathless as it has been since she's woken up. "And me?" She then asks.

Daryl's smile fades. "Do you wan' me to get your ma and dad?"

"No," Beth shakes her head. "Can't you tell me?"

"'m not a doctor, Beth," he says.

"I would rather hear it from a friend, but you can get the doctor if you want," Beth gives him a small smile.

Daryl goes still again and he stares at her and she can see him swallow again. "That what we are?" He asks, almost too soft for her to actually hear him clearly. "Friends?" He echoes her word. "I thought-" he begins, but then stops himself abruptly.

"I didn't know… we had a fight and I didn't know if we were…" Beth is stumbling with her words, unsure of how to word exactly what is in her still muddled brain.

And Daryl seems to sense that. "You jus' woke up and you've been in and out of it for two days. Last thing you need to be doin' is havin' this conversation with me right now."

"Daryl," she says his name just as he's making a move to stand up from the chair.

She's panicked at the idea of him leaving, but not panicked at the thought in her mind. She has so many questions about what on earth has happened over the past couple of days, but right now, there's just one thought in her head and it's clear and she knows she has to speak it right now.

"I love you," she says the three words that can't be contained inside of her mind anymore.

Daryl is halfway between standing up and still sitting and he goes completely still, just staring at her. He doesn't say anything. She hasn't been expecting him to say anything; certainly not _that_ in return. After all, they had just fought and he had been so angry and hurt. She wouldn't expect him to love her after that.

But…

Her parents fight. They bicker. They disagree. And they absolutely love one another. Daryl and she had had a fight – their first fight. Well, to be honest, _he_ had fought. Beth hadn't wanted anything to do with it. But even if she _had_ fought back, she would still love him. Just because people fight, doesn't mean there isn't love there. Actually, she thinks fight is a good indicator _for_ love. She would think silence would be so much worse.

"You don't have to say it back, Daryl," Beth then tells him because he's still there, staring at her, not saying anything or _doing_ anything and with his eyes so intense on her, it's making her want to crawl under _all_ of these blankets and hide from him.

Daryl slowly moved and sat back down in his chair. "When I was out there, tryin' to find you, I actually prayed. 've never done that before and I didn' know what the hell I was doin', but I was out there and I was losin' my mind because I didn' know where you were, but I would do absolutely anythin' to find you."

Beth is taking her turn to stare at him and not move. She imagines her heart speeding up and drumming in her chest, but the machine next to the bed that she's hooked up to remains beeping steady.

"And you know what I promised myself I was gonna say to you _when_ I found you again?" Daryl asks and Beth shakes her head, unable to even blink right now. He leans forward in his chair. "I love you, too," he says.

Beth immediately feels tears flood her eyes as her chin trembles. "You love me?" She whispers.

"'ve never said those words to anyone before who isn't Millie," he says, almost mumbling.

Beth lets out a soft laugh. "You said it perfectly. And I said it alright? I… this is the first time I've really meant those words to someone and I… I love you, Daryl."

Daryl's lips twitch into that smile of his that she loves so much and she is so happy to be in this hospital room instead of in Heaven because she's here and Daryl loves her and she gets to see that twitching smile of his.

"'m still gonna go get your parents and the doc though. They're gonna tell you what happened," he says.

"Hypothermia?" Beth guesses.

Daryl smirks a little. "Are you a mind reader and never told me?"

Beth just smiles and settles a bit more against the pillow behind her. She can't stop smiling. She's alive, Frank's alive and Daryl loves her. She's pretty sure she'll never not smile ever again.

"'fore I go and get 'em, Maggie helped me with somethin'," Daryl says.

"Maggie's here?" Beth's eyes widen at that.

Daryl gives her a look. "Her sister is in the hospital for hypothermia. Yeah. Maggie's here." Daryl leans over and drags out a messenger bag that is on the floor next to the bedside table. "We can do this later if you're awake and up for it."

He stands up and gently places the bag down on his chair. He first pulls out a laptop and sets it down on the tray table that is across her legs. He then pulls out a DVD case and he hands it out to Beth. And just like when he said those three words to her, Beth looks at the movie and her eyes flood with tears.

"I love you," she tilts her head back to look up at him.

Daryl smiles a little and he bends down, kissing the top of her head and leaving his lips resting in her hair for a moment longer. "You better believe I love you, too, if I'm willingly goin' to watch _Friday the 13_ _th_ _: Part 3_ with you later," he says.

Beth laughs and even after he leaves the room to get her parents, the doctor and Maggie, Beth can't stop smiling. She has every reason in the world to keep smiling.

…

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**

 **And obviously, I love Daryl more than anything, but with the news of Andrew Lincoln, it's hard for me to imagine Daryl leading _anything_. That's not who Daryl is and it never has been. I love Daryl/Norman, but I'm kind of glad I gave up on this show a couple of seasons ago.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Whew! It's a miracle! I woke up in a Daryl/Beth mood this morning!**

* * *

…

The knock on the door is quiet, but still, it is just loud enough to gently stir Beth from the nap she had been dozing off into.

"Come in," she calls back, just as quietly, peering over her shoulder to see who it is.

She smiles faintly upon seeing Maggie poking her head in – as if just to make sure that Beth truly meant her invitation – before stepping fully into the room.

Having been home from the hospital for two days, Beth has spent most of those two days dozing and reading. With her home, Frank is home as well and has spent most of that time curled up with Beth on her bed; that or hopping around the bedroom, adapting already to walking on three legs. Her daddy says that dogs are incredibly resilient and Beth is witnessing it for herself as she watches Frank adjust. Sometimes, he'll sit down and try to scratch himself with that leg before he seems to remember and Beth will call him over so she can help him scratch his ear. But other than that, Frank is hopping as if he's always had just three legs.

Frank is curled up with her now and doesn't even lift his head when Maggie comes into the room. Over the past two days, he's gotten used to people coming in and out.

"Another one?" Beth asks when she sees Maggie holding yet another flower arrangement.

"You are very popular," Maggie smiles and goes to make room for the newest addition amongst those already set on her windowsills.

It seems like the entire congregation has inundated Beth with flowers, cards and balloons and many of the children and young teenagers have made their own cards for her. Her room is absolutely bursting with it all. Not that Beth is complaining. She looks at it all sometimes and is both overwhelmed and amazed that she means _something_ to these many people. Just a couple of months earlier, she had been lonely, thinking she hadn't had anyone in this world and now, she has all of this. People who care about and love her. A dog. A boyfriend. She would have preferred to find these things out _without_ the hypothermia, but oh well.

God works in mysterious ways and all of that.

"How are you feeling?" Maggie turns once the flowers are safely placed. "Are you hungry? Annette was going to start fixing some lunch if you're up to eating."

"Let me guess. Soup," Beth says with a tired smile.

Maggie laughs and comes to sit on the edge of the bed, mindful of Frank laying with Beth. "The doctor says hot foods for at least a couple more days."

Beth nods once, but doesn't say anything further about it. "How's California?" She asks instead.

Ever since Maggie made the decision to get the heck out of not only White Hill, but Georgia as well, and after Beth the decision to return to their tiny town and work at the church, the two sisters just aren't as close as they used to be. To put it mildly. Beth and Maggie used to talk with one another at least once every day, but as they got older, they became very aware of the fact that they were turning into two very different people.

Since Maggie has moved to California with her boyfriend, Beth can't actually remember the last time they spoke. When she was in the hospital and her mom and daddy had come into the room, Beth had been shocked at the sight of Maggie being with them. Why on earth would Maggie be here in White Hill, Georgia again? It didn't matter in Beth's mind that she was in the hospital. Maggie vowed that she would never come back and Beth had just assumed that that meant for _any_ reason.

Maggie's quiet for a moment as if thinking her answer over, focusing on smoothing a hand down Frank's side, over and over again. "Lonely," she then answers.

Beth admits she hasn't been expecting that to be her reply. She just honestly has never expected to see Maggie again until Beth was the one to get onto an airplane and fly out to California to visit her.

"It's not exactly what I thought it would be," Maggie continues. "The weather is gorgeous. Always sunny and not nearly as humid as Georgia is and not nearly as many mosquitoes. You can actually eat outside at a restaurant without getting eaten alive yourself." She pauses and then sighs. "It's just… I miss walking barefoot in the grass and I miss the horses and all of you and Annette's Sunday dinners and everyone out there that Glenn and I meet is either in show business or trying to crack into it and it's all anyone seems to talk about. And it's hard to tell someone you just met that you don't give a shit about being famous."

Beth snorts a little at that. " _You_ can't speak your mind to someone?" She teases.

Maggie smiles and shrugs. "It's just different out there."

Beth adjusts herself so she's more on her back rather than her side while keeping her legs curled around Frank. "So what are you going to do?" She asks.

Maggie takes a deep breath. "What do you think of this? Give Pizza a Chance."

Beth smiles as soon as she hears it. "It's brilliant," she replies.

Maggie smiles, too. "Glenn and I have been talking. We were thinking we could come back here and open up a pizza place. Pizza Hut could use some competition in this town."

"Maggie, that's wonderful!" Beth exclaims, her entire face brightening at just the idea. "Do you mean that?"

Maggie nods without pausing. "Opening a business in California… well, I'd rather not go bankrupt _before_ we open the doors. And even when I tried to run from here as fast and as far as I could… this is still home."

Beth reaches over and takes Maggie's hand from Frank's body and gives it a squeeze. Her eyes then widen as she gasps as a thought pops into her head. "Oh, goodness! We could use you for fundraisers at the church! Would you want to? The Youth and Children's Choirs are always in need of some good fundraisers for money. If you buy so many tickets, you can enter the raffle for a free pizza dinner from Give Pizza a Chance!"

Maggie lets out a laugh. "Let's slow down on that for a little bit. Glenn and I haven't even moved back yet."

"You're right," Beth agrees, but she's still smiling. "Still… it would be amazing if you did move back." Beth pauses and looks to her older sister. After everything that's happened in just the past few days, she's not ready to be a coward over _this._ "I've really missed you, Maggie," she says.

Maggie exhales a sigh as if she's been holding her breath and Beth wonders if she's been wanting to say the same thing to her. Maggie certainly _has_ changed if she's waiting for someone else to speak what's on her mind before she does.

"I've really missed you, too, Bethy, and I'm so sorry for what a bitch I was when you told me that you were moving back here after college," Maggie says and then shakes her head. "It's your life and you should be able to do anything you want without your sister attacking your choices."

"It's okay, Maggie. Honest," Beth says with a small smile. "We've just always been different when it comes to certain things. We both know that."

"Still," Maggie squeezes her hand. "I was a bitch to you."

"Well, I'm not going to argue with that," Beth quips with a smile and then laughs when Maggie's mouth falls open. "It's okay, Maggie. Honest. I know that that's just who you are."

"Beth!" Maggie exclaims and Beth laughs again, Maggie soon joining in. "Well, I wasn't going to pester, but after you just called me a bitch without actually calling me one, now you _have_ to tell me about Daryl."

Beth's cheeks promptly burst into flames and she pretended to be occupied with giving Frank the best ear rub possible. Daryl, she almost sighs dreamily just at the mere mention of him. Daryl, who loves her and who has come to see her every afternoon after he finishes with work for the day. Daryl, who brings something for her with him every time and who, when he comes into the room, smiles the instant he sees her.

Daryl – who she loves.

She can still hardly believe it, to be honest. Not that she loves Daryl. That has been building for quite some time and she's had a crush on him for even longer. Falling in love with him was almost somewhat inevitable. What's hard to believe is that Daryl loves her, too. She's fairly certain that her heart had stopped beating when he told her the story while she was still in the hospital of him trying to find her that night.

"My hero," Beth said in a breathless whisper when he was done.

"Stop," he said with pink ears and a smile he was trying to keep from pulling at the corners of his mouth.

But that's exactly what he is and no level of embarrassing him will make Beth ever change her mind. Daryl has saved her – and Frank. They're both still here, alive, because of him and Daryl might not believe in God, but Beth certainly does and she knows, without a doubt, that God put Daryl Dixon in her life for that reason. Daryl came into her life so he could save it – both literally and to save her from a life of feeling always alone.

Beth can only hope that she does a fraction for Daryl by being in his life that he's already done for her.

"He's wonderful," Beth now tells her sister in an almost-shy voice. "And he loves me."

"And you love him? He's good to you?" Maggie asks and Beth recognizes that tone. No matter how much distance, in any sense of the word, can be between the two sisters, Beth knows how Maggie is. As her big sister, Maggie will defend her until the death if necessary.

Beth smiles at Maggie's question. "You know he _did_ save my life so I would say that he's more than good to me, but that's not why I love him. And I do. More than anything."

Maggie jokingly puts her hands over Frank's ears. "Don't let him hear that," she smiles and Beth laughs.

Frank lifts his head from the bed and a moment later, they hear a knock on the open bedroom door.

The instant she sees who it is, Beth's entire face lights up. "What are you doing here so early?" She asks.

Daryl takes a step into the room, a tray in his hands. "Finished mowin' the park earlier than scheduled and thought I could come eat lunch with you. Your mom shoved this in my hands to bring up with me."

Maggie smiles at Daryl and then looks to Beth. "I'll come back later," she promises and Beth nods with a smile. Maggie stands up and leans over, kissing Beth on the head, before leaving the bedroom, giving Daryl a smile as she passes him. "This is staying open," Maggie then tells them both, referring to the door.

"Maggie," Beth rolls her eyes, but Maggie just gives her a grin and skips away.

"Soup again, huh?" Daryl asks as he comes to her bed with the tray.

Beth pushes herself up, resting back against the pillows behind her, as Daryl gently sets the tray up across her lap. She feels her cheeks blush at the sweetness of him doing something like this for her. "For a couple more days. By the weekend, I should be able to get back to eating something that actually fills me up."

Daryl smirks a little and he gives Frank's head a rub as he settles himself down into the chair that's been set up at Beth's bedside.

"What is that?" Beth then gasps when she sees the bag in Daryl's hand. "Seriously? You bring that around me while I'm stuck, eating…" Beth glances down at the bowl and then sets a frown on him. "Minestrone soup?"

Daryl gives her a grin this time. "'m not the one recoverin' from hypothermia," he replies as he pulls out the cardboard Big Mac container from McDonald's. "Stop poutin' and eat your soup," he then tells her when Beth sticks her lower lip out dramatically like she's one of her little kids in her Sunday school class.

"I'm not pouting. You'll know when I'm pouting, Daryl Dixon," she informs him as she picks up her spoon and ignores the smile Daryl still has directed towards her. "And after you're done eating _that_ ," she points to the Big Mac with her spoon as if its mere existence offends her. "You can eat your French fries in the hallway."

"Even if I picked up an extra container for you?" Daryl asks.

Beth gasps. "You did?"

Daryl nods, chewing on the mouthful of burger he's just taken. "Made sure they're extra hot for you, too. But now I'm not sure if I wanna give 'em to you or not."

"What if I tell you that I love you?" Beth asks with a smile and then lets out a giggle as Daryl huffs at that.

"Savin' your dog. Gettin' you fries. One of these days, 'm gonna do somethin' really good that might just make you explode with love for me," he jokes dryly as he reaches into the bag and Beth's eyes seem to gleam as he sets the red container of McDonalds fries next to her bowl of soup.

"I actually wouldn't doubt that from actually happening one of these days if I were you, Daryl Dixon," Beth replies to him as she takes one delicious, _hot_ fry from the container.

Daryl doesn't say anything to that, but she can see his ears poking out from his ear looking a bit more pink to her. She doesn't know that much – and what she does know, she's mainly guessed – but it seems to her that Daryl isn't used to someone loving him. Well now, because of him, Beth is here and she isn't going anywhere and she's fully prepared – and more than happy – to spend the rest of her life showing him what it's like.

…

"Mama! They're here!" Millie shouts from the front steps back into the trailer before looking to Daryl's truck as he pulls it to a stop behind Merle's car. When the engine is cut off, Millie takes that as her cue to come running down the steps to meet them. "Ms. Greene! Ms. Greene!" She shouts, practically trembling with excitement – having not seen her since last week at Sunday school when she gave them all candy bars for their 10 Commandments activity.

Then she got hurt and had to be in the hospital and she's hardly seen her Uncle Daryl over the past few days because he's been with Ms. Greene. The whole church knew about Ms. Greene getting hurt and though they all knew she wouldn't be, the class couldn't help, but be disappointed when they came into the room that morning and saw that Ms. Greene wasn't teaching them this week. Instead, it had been _Mrs._ Greene, Ms. Greene's mother, substituting for her daughter that week and while Mrs. Greene was very nice and they watched an episode of _Veggie Tales_ , they had all missed Ms. Greene.

When her mama had told her that Uncle Daryl was bringing Ms. Greene over that Sunday afternoon for dinner, Millie had screamed as if she'd just been told again that her daddy was coming home after six years.

Beth smiles when she sees Millie and for some reason, she almost feels as if she's about to start crying as she unbuckles her seat belt and opens the door. Daryl has already gotten out and hurried over to his niece.

"-can't be jumpin' all over her," Beth catches the tail end of what Daryl is telling Millie.

"Mama already told me," Millie informs her uncle and then looks to Beth with that face-splitting grin. "Ms. Greene!" She exclaims and hops over to her with excitement and Beth laughs as Millie halts as soon as she's close enough, clearly not wanting to be too close in fear of helping her.

"It's hard to hug you when you're that far away from me," Beth observes and Millie rushes to her then, wrapping her arms around her waist and Beth smiles, hugging the girl tightly in return. She absolutely loves all of her students, but Millie – for some obvious reasons – is the one she silently loves the most.

"Are you feeling better?" Millie asks once they break apart from their hug.

"Much better," Beth promises her with a smile. "Thank you so much for taking care of Frank for me while I was in the hospital."

"How is he?" Millie looks then past her as if expecting to see the bull terrier before back to Beth.

"He's doing great," Beth assures her with a smile. "But he's like me and gets worn out easily. Both of us still don't have all of our strength back yet. He's at home with my parents."

"Oh," Millie says and she's about to be disappointed, but then she reminds herself that Ms. Greene is here and that's better than not having Frank _and_ Ms. Greene here. "Daryl, mama's makin' chicken and rice casserole!"

"My favorite," Daryl's lips twitch in a smile before looking to Beth. "You alrigh'?" He asks her in a quiet voice.

Beth nods and gives him a smile as she slips her hand into his. This is her first outing since coming home and she's so excited to be outside, but at the same time, the doctor had warned her that she would tire out easily and she can see that the man is a professional for a reason. He definitely knows what he's talking about.

"Come on," Daryl says as if he's just poked into her mind. "Le's get you inside and settled on the couch."

"Oh, I can't do that. I should help Jenny," Beth immediately protests as they follow a skipping Millie towards the steps.

Daryl frowns. "She got a husband and a kid. Got all the help she needs," he says. "The couch is the one that needs you." And Beth wants to roll her eyes at him for that logic, but instead, she can't help, but smile and Daryl gives her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Mama! Daddy! They're here!" Millie announces once more upon going inside, Daryl and Beth behind her.

"Christ, girl. We heard you the first dozen times," Merle grumbles, but he's grinning as he does.

"Quarter, daddy!"

"My own daughter hustlin' me," Merle frowns.

"Wonder where she learned that from," Daryl smirks.

"I've just been back for a couple months now. You've been with her for six years. I'm blamin' you," Merle says and he's grinning again. He looks to Beth. "There she is."

Beth smiles and blushes at all of the attention the Dixon family is putting upon her. "Hi, Merle," she says before he sweeps her into a tight hug.

"Ease off, Merle, Jesus," Daryl says as he pulls one of his brother's arms back. "She's still recoverin'."

"Quarter, Uncle Daryl!" Millie calls out from the kitchen area.

Beth lets out a laugh. "I'm fine," she assures both Daryl and Merle. It has felt like it's been far too long since she's gotten so many hugs and she's certainly not going to complain when getting one. Sometimes, something as seemingly simple as a hug can be the nicest thing in the world.

"Beth," Jenny is next, hurrying from the kitchen, and the woman knows she should be easy, but she can't seem to help herself. She throws her arms around Beth and Beth wraps her arms around the woman and they stand there for a long moment, hugging one another.

Beth isn't entirely too sure when it happened. She knows it happened even before she started seeing Daryl, but sometime, she began looking to Jenny as a friend and Beth is happy that Jenny seems to view her as the same. Beth still doesn't know that much about the woman, but what she does know, Beth feels like she has every good reason in the world to _want_ this woman to be her friend.

She keeps meaning to tell Jenny that, but obviously, a few things have happened that have distracted her. She will be sure to tell Jenny before Daryl takes her back home this evening after dinner.

"Alrigh'," Daryl says, gently pulling Jenny back. "She's still recoverin'."

"Yes," Beth agrees. "Apparently, when I was in the hospital, they replaced all of my bones with fine bone china and they must have told Daryl, but forgot to tell me." She gives Daryl a look as Merle and Jenny both grin and Daryl frowns at Beth.

"Stop bein' a smartass and go sit on the couch," he says.

"I'm fine," Beth insists. "I'm going to help Jenny-"

"Sit!" She jumps when Merle, Jenny and Daryl all tell her simultaneously.

Beth pauses a moment. "Fine. But I'm going to be sitting because it's what _I_ want to do."

"We know," Merle tells her and Beth is well aware of the placating in his tone. She narrows her eyes at him and Merle chuckles, holding his hands up in surrender while taking a step back. "Damn. And I thought she was the sweet one between you two," Merle says to his brother.

Daryl smiles a little and looks to Beth. "Nah. She's definitely the tougher one out of the both of us."

Beth doesn't fight her smile at that. Daryl Dixon is probably the only person in this world who has ever looked at her and considered her to be a tough anything. And she can tell that he means it and he's just not teasing her. She feels so loved in that moment – just from him saying that – and she can only hope that she feels this loved for the rest of her life.

As Daryl gets her settled on the couch, making sure there's a blanket nearby in case she needs it and then asking her if she wants anything to drink, Beth smiles up at him and without answering, she puts a hand onto the back of his neck and gently guides his head down so she can press her lips to his.

Beth's not entirely sure how to, but she wonders what Daryl will say if she asks him if she can spend the night at his place tonight.

…

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review!**


	21. Chapter 21

…

The front cab of the truck is silent and Daryl swears that Beth's words are physically hanging in the air for him to see. She's sitting there, looking at him, looking so pretty with one of the trailer park streetlights shining in through the window, shining just on her and making it look like she's glowing. She has said what she's said and now, she's staying quiet; as if she knows that Daryl just needs a few minutes – or maybe even hours, to be honest – for his mind to register what she has just said to him.

After dinner with his family and then dessert – Jenny and Millie had made a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting because it was a special occasion – they sat around for a little bit longer, watching an episode of _House Hunters_ – because Merle had just discovered that show and loves it, spending most of the program yelling at people for their overly picky or stupid opinions.

Daryl had been the one to stand up after two episodes and announce that Beth should be getting home. As he liked to remind everyone, she's still recovering and tires out easily. He was a little bit surprised when Beth hadn't actually protested and instead, she had stood, too, before giving Jenny, Merle and Millie all hugs and thanking them over and over for having her over for dinner.

"Do you think I could spend the night tonight at your place?" Beth had asked as soon as they were in the cab of the truck and before Daryl could even put the keys in the ignition.

Daryl had paused and had looked at her and she had been looking at him, smiling faintly; blushing lightly. And he knew, he _knew_ , exactly what she was talking about and it wasn't just some innocent sleepover.

"I, uh…" he tries to find his voice again and it aware of how much of an idiot he sounds like right now.

He knows what he _wants_ to say. The answer he wants to give isn't one he has to think of too hard or long about at all. But should he give that answer? Beth's tired and she needs her rest and besides all of that… is this her first time? She's a church-going girl and she teaches Sunday school and she's the youth coordinator and girls like that don't just fall into bed with all sorts of men? If this is her first time, Daryl feels a slight push on his chest. That's a lot of pressure on him and Daryl feels unprepared for it. In a few days, yes, but right now, caught so unexpected, he doesn't know if he's fully prepared at making this night memorable.

He's never been anyone's first before. Not that _he's_ some expert at sex – honestly, it's never been his favorite thing to do – but he knows that girls like their first time being something special. Daryl's used to falling into an unmade bed with a girl who knows exactly what she's doing and it's over in just a few minutes before he's rolling away again, pulling up his pants and not staying that long afterwards.

With Beth, he's thinking that he'll probably need a candle and he's trying to remember the last time he washed his bed sheets.

"It's okay, Daryl," Beth speaks again. "We don't have to."

She obviously can't read his mind, but she can obviously see the way he's hesitating and Beth's smile slips slightly on her face and Daryl can definitely read her mind right now.

"It ain't that, Beth. I _want_ to. Believe me." He turns more towards her. "I just ain't ready for it. I'd want time to make sure that your first time is somethin' worth rememberin'."

Beth's eyebrows crinkle and her head tilts slightly to the side as she looks at him. "What makes you think it's my first time?" She asks him.

Daryl blinks at her. "It ain't?" He asks and he can't hide the surprise from his tone.

Beth's small smile returns and she shakes her head. "You'll be my second," she then tells him.

Daryl thinks that over for a moment. "Zach?" He guesses and Beth nods and she falls quiet, letting him think _that_ over for a few minutes.

The first time he had met Zach – and had seen the easy way in which he and Beth interacted together – Daryl had thought that maybe they had slept together at one point in time. But then, he doesn't know. Maybe, the more he got to know her, he had just thought… something completely wrong and how her job defines everything about her as a person.

"'m sorry. I jus' thought…"

"It's alright," Beth says, still with that small smile. "I get it. And I _do_ take it seriously. Which is why you're only my second. I don't just… I've been in love twice in my life. The first time with Zach and now, with you. But already, with you, it's already so much deeper than anything I've ever felt before."

"You're the first woman 've eve been in love with," Daryl tells her because if he doesn't tell her that, who the hell will he tell? It's about Beth and is something that is only meant for Beth to hear.

Beth smiles at that and her cheeks grow a darker shade of pink. "I meant what I said though. We don't have to. Tonight. If you don't want to. There's absolutely no rush."

"I thought the guy usually says somethin' like that," Daryl muses out loud.

"So, say that then," Beth says, nearly giggling.

Daryl doesn't say anything though. He finally puts the key in the ignition and turns on the truck. Still, without a word, Daryl pulls the truck away from Merle's trailer and instead of heading down the road that will lead them from the trailer park, he turns and drives down to his own trailer.

Beth doesn't say anything either. She just smiles.

"Stay," Daryl tells her after turning the engine off once more and Beth just smiles wider. He gets from the truck and walks around the front to Beth's door. He opens it for her and takes her hand, helping her step down. When she smiles up at him, Daryl can do nothing except smile back at her.

…

"I can't 'member the last time I washed these sheets," Daryl murmurs, more to himself, but Beth hears nonetheless and she lets out a breathless laugh that trails off into a moan when Daryl moves his fingers a particular way that she definitely likes. Daryl makes sure he remembers that spot.

Daryl is down to his boxers and tee-shirt and Beth is naked. Completely naked. Lying on his bed. And Daryl already knows for certain that he'll never forget this site for as long as he lives. He still can't quite believe this is happening, but she wants this and he sure as hell wants this, too, and she's lying on his bed and she's so fucking beautiful, Daryl feels like he can hardly handle it.

"Daryl," she moans as his fingers continue moving between her thighs. "I need you," she breathes even as her hips lift from the bed, pushing more of herself against his fingers. "Oh God," she then gasps, her fingers curling into the sheet beneath her.

Daryl can't help but snicker a little. "Sayin' the Lord's name in vain?" He manages to tease even as he feels his cock harden so much, he's amazed he's able to even say a coherent word right now.

"Shut… Daryl!" She then cries out, her voice echoing into the room, his trailer, probably outside. Her whole body tenses and then he can feel her quivering around his fingers, her release flooding around him.

"Fuck," he breathes because watching Beth fall apart – because of something _he_ did – is probably the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

"Daryl," she half-whines, half-moans when he presses a kiss to the inside of her thigh and he chuckles.

Her fingers uncurl from the bed sheets and she moves them to his shoulders, her fingers now curling into the cotton material of the tee-shirt he's still wearing. Daryl takes the hint – not that he can wait any longer either – and he tugs down his boxers and he hesitates with his tee-shirt. Should he take it off? He hasn't told Beth about the scars on his body – mementos left over from his old man's belt. No one ever sees his back and even on the hottest Georgia summer day, he keeps his shirt on.

He's taking too long, he realizes, and Beth pushes herself up on her elbows.

"Is everything alright?" She asks, her eyes dark with concern as she looks at him in the darkened bedroom, standing at the foot of the bed.

Daryl wonders if it's too soon to be thinking about it as _their_ bedroom because he wants that. He lives in a trailer, but at least it's a _nice_ trailer and Beth seems to like being here. Would she be open to moving in? They're about to have sex, yes, but he doesn't know if Beth would want to live with a man before marriage. Is that where this is leading? Daryl's never thought twice – or once, for that matter – about getting married. Would Beth's church whisper about her if their Sunday school teacher moved in with her boyfriend without getting married? Having sex is different. That's just between them and it's not like Beth will be making an announcement about it to the congregation, but moving in with him, that can't be kept a secret.

He thinks of his mom and old man. Nothing about them made Daryl even consider getting himself married. But then there's Merle and Jenny and even with Merle being in prison, they've stuck together and Daryl watches them now and it's obvious that they love each other. They prove to him that happy marriages _do_ exist. What would he and Beth be? Like Merle and Jenny or like his mom and old man?

No. Not like them. _Nothing_ like them. Beth's not his mom and Daryl is nothing like his old man. He's not.

They're different, yes, but Daryl thinks it works for them. She seems like she's happy whenever she's around him – and Daryl wonders if she's happy because of him – and whenever she's around, Daryl finds himself able to smile a lot more and a lot easier. That means something, doesn't it? To him, it means a hell of a lot. For him to actually be happy and to be actually happy because of another person, that means _everything_.

"Daryl, is everything alright?" Beth asks again, the question jarring his thoughts, and her eyes slightly wide with not just concern, but worry now, too.

Daryl doesn't say anything. He pulls off his tee-shirt, dropping it onto the floor with his boxers and her clothes, before he turns towards his dresser. He keeps a box of condoms there – not that he ever uses them, but because if he ever did, he wasn't looking to have any accidental Daryls or Darlinas running around. He takes a couple out now, and yes, he's being optimistic over his performance, before he turns back to the bed.

Beth gives him a small smile as he crawls onto the bed to join her, crawling over her body, and her smile grows just as his lips drop down to hers.

"I love you," he whispers, barely lifting his lips from hers to tell her so.

"I love you, too," Beth tells him in return with the smile still growing across her face.

She lowers herself down onto the bed, gently pulling Daryl with her, and he feels his naked body touching hers. He almost closes his eyes at how damn near perfect it already feels with her. Beth's fingers comb through his hair and then her hands are on his back. He stiffens the first time her fingers touch one of the scars and he wants to look away, but instead, he forces himself to keep his eyes on hers.

Beth looks up at him as her fingers slowly move to another scar and he's trying to read her eyes; steeling his body for the look of pity she's going to be giving him any second.

But instead, Beth lifted her head from the pillow and her lips touched his softly. "I love you, Daryl," she whispers and that's all she says. Her hands leave his back and go to his hips and her legs spread a bit wider so he can settle himself comfortably between them.

He feels the heat and wetness pulsing off of her and he really needs to put the condom on right this second.

He brushes a strand of hair back from her cheek and her eyes flutter shut at his tender touch. "I love you, too, Beth." _So damn much_ , he adds silently to himself though he knows it didn't matter if he said the words out loud or not. Knowing Beth, she already knows that for herself.

…

Beth is dozing beside him. As he likes to remind everyone – including her – she's still recovering and Daryl's not the sort to ever pat himself on the back for anything, but he knows that the two times wore her out.

It's late now – or early – and it's a quiet night. Daryl's not feeling tired – even after everything tonight. He just wants to keep laying there, on his side, with Beth laying on hers, watching her as he sleeps. He admits to himself that a part is afraid to close his eyes; afraid to close them and then open them to find that she's gone and everything that's happened between them tonight didn't happen at all.

Just then, some dick outside decides to drive past with his stereo turned up so loud, Daryl feels the walls around him vibrating with the thumping.

"'m sorry," he says when Beth's eyes flutter open at the sound.

She sees him and a slow, tired smile spread across her lips. "It's alright. Not your fault." She closes her eyes again, shifting closer to him, and Daryl moves his arm, resting it over her hip. He likes holding her. "It's probably for the best anyway that I'm awake. I really have to pee and I don't want to make a mess in bed."

Daryl smirks at that and she opens her eyes, letting out a soft giggle. He doesn't stop himself from dipping his head down and kissing her.

"You wan' somethin' to drink?" He asks.

" _After_ I go to the bathroom," Beth smiles and then leaning in, kisses him one more time before she slowly pulls herself away from him and out of the bed.

The yellow glow of the streetlamp creeps in through the window blinds and it helps Daryl look at her naked body. She's a little thing. Thin, too. Their first time, Daryl had been afraid of hurting her if he moved at any pace faster than a turtle's. Beth had quickly showed him that she will _not_ break.

"You're beautiful," he hears himself say.

Beth pauses from picking his tee-shirt off from the floor and she turns towards the bed, looking at him and smiling shyly. "I think you're sex drunk," she tells him and slips his tee-shirt on over her head, it falling down and covering her body, stopping to skim over her thighs.

"Sex drunk?" He echoes with a smirk. "That a real thing?" He sits up and Beth tosses him his boxers.

"I'm making it a thing," she smiles with a shrug and Daryl breaks out into a smile, too, as Beth spins from the room and goes into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Daryl pulls himself from the bed, tugging his boxers back on, and he heads from the bedroom, through the living room – stopping to make sure the door is still locked, though there's no reason why it wouldn't be – and he goes into the kitchen. He doesn't turn on a light, having everything and its places memorized, and he goes to the refrigerator, pulling open the door, being momentarily blinded by the light inside.

"Beth!" He calls out after looking over the choices he has. "Sprite alrigh' with you?"

"Sounds good!" Beth calls back from the bathroom.

Daryl takes out two cans and then, once the door is closed, he moves around the dark, grabbing the bag of Fritos he knows is in one of the cabinets. He carries the things out to the living room, carefully depositing them onto the coffee table before grabbing the television remote.

When Beth comes out again, the toilet flushing behind her, the light from the bathroom spills around her and she gives Daryl before flipping the switch off and disappearing into the bedroom again, coming out a moment later, now wearing her underwear along with his tee-shirt.

She glances to the television as she comes to join him on the couch. She sits with her knees drawn to her chest and he hands her the other can of Sprite and then offers her the bag of Fritos. She smiles, taking a few, and then her eyes return to the television screen.

"I hate this movie," she then comments.

"Wan' me to find somethin' else?" Daryl offers, already lifting the remote.

Beth shakes her head. "I think our options are limited at two in the morning. But just be prepared. I get angry and yell at the screen when I see one of these movies on."

Daryl smiles at that. "What makes you angry about it?"

Beth sighs, as if she's mentally preparing herself. "Your kid storms out in the middle of the _night_ , in a _deserted_ trailed park. And _none_ of you take your cell phone with you when you go out after her?"

"Well, if they did take the phones with 'em, they wouldn' come back to find that the Strangers smashed 'em all," Daryl answers, a smile still twisting at his lips.

"Yes, and how could they possibly advance the plot if people didn't act like complete morons in horror movies?" Beth asks with a roll of her eyes, making Daryl let out a laugh.

That's another thing about Beth. She doesn't only get him to smile, but _laugh_ , too.

They watch _The Strangers: Prey at Night_ for the next few minutes in comfortable silence, sipping their sodas and eating from the Fritos bag. Beth's right, Daryl thinks. Screaming for a family member when they _know_ there's some psycho out there, looking for them, isn't the smartest thing to be doing.

"Daryl?" Beth breaks in quietly.

Daryl looks at her and doesn't say anything, waiting for her to continue.

Beth hesitates. "Those scars…" Daryl feels his body tense. "Are those scars why you don't believe in God?"

Daryl lets out a stream of air as if he's been holding it in.

"Yeah," he answers simply enough because despite the question, there actually is a simple answer.

His back – his body – is riddled in scars from his old man; the guy who was supposed to be his dad and keep him safe. God's never done anything for Daryl, in his opinion, so why _should_ Daryl believe that there's anything up there, looking out for him.

"My ol' man was an asshole and liked to remind me of that whenever he got a chance."

Beth lifts a hand to the back of his head, her fingers scratching through the hair there. "I'm sorry," she said quietly and it's not said to be condescending or out of pity. If there's anything he hates, it's someone pitying him.

Daryl shrugs. "Ain't your fault. And it was a long time ago."

"I know that doesn't matter," Beth shakes her head. "Things like that… I imagine they stick with you. Not that I know what I'm talking about. My daddy, he's never…"

"I know, Beth," Daryl tells her. "You don't gotta feel guilty 'bout havin' a good childhood."

"I understand now, though. Why you don't believe," she says, still talking quietly, looking at him; the movie forgotten by both of them. "I won't talk about it anymore."

Daryl doesn't know if she means God or his childhood. "You can talk to me 'bout your work and the church. I _want_ you to be able to talk to me. Yeah, it won't mean that much to me 'cause 'm not livin' through it, but if it matters to you, it matters to me. I mean it, Beth."

Beth looks at him and doesn't say anything.

"I don't believe in God. But I believe in you," he tells her.

He hears Beth's breath catch at that and from the glow of the television, he sees tears brimming in her eyes. But before he can begin panicking that he's just said the completely wrong thing, Beth leans in and kisses him.

"Thank you," she whispers. "And you, too. You can talk to me about _anything_ , Daryl. I mean it. Even if I've never experienced anything like that… if it's about you, I want to know everything."

"Thank you," he says, lifting his hand to her face, aware he has Frito salt on his fingers, but Beth doesn't seem to mind as she smiles and leans into his touch.

She exhales a deep breath. "So the Bible has two parts. The Old Testament and the New Testament and there are plenty of pretty gory stories in both parts."

"Really?" Daryl perks up a bit at that.

Beth giggles. "I'll read you one. But there's this woman, Melissa Tompkins, and oh boy, she just makes me so mad and I don't understand how she's the mother to Natalie Tompkins in my Sunday class because Natalie is so precious. But anyway, this woman, Daryl, she is a piece of work and she said that under no circumstances am _I_ to teach _my_ Sunday school class about the obliteration of Sodom and Gomorrah…"

Daryl keeps looking at her, and resting his head back against the couch, he smiles as he listens to her.

…

* * *

 **Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review! I know the Bethyl fandom is slowly dying. I've been in fandoms long enough and am not surprised by it happening, but I still like to think about them. *sigh* What could have been with these two on that horrible show...**


	22. Chapter 22

…

 _The Bible itself says sulfur – a.k.a. brimstone – and fire, making it clear that the people burned and endured foul air. Some may have died from the fire falling from the sky, burning them alive or driving straight through flesh and bone. Being inside a dwelling wouldn't have helped. They didn't have fire safety drills back then, and there were no long red trucks speeding to the rescue. Anyone not immediately consumed by flamers would have choked on the smoke. You've likely smelled sulfur – whether in a science class or near a rotten egg or a skunk's stench. Crank that up a hundred times over. In Sodom and Gomorrah, lungs filled with this noxious gas, smoking from the fires all around, and ashes from everything else burning. Breathing would have been impossible, perhaps a mercy before the fire burned everyone to ashes. Or, if the people of Sodom were really lucky, the heat might have killed them all in an instant._

 _Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Lot and his family were saved. The story should be over, but it's not._

Damn, Daryl thinks to himself. This is dark. Really dark.

He quickly turns to the next page to continue reading.

"Uncle Daryl!" Millie calls out from where he's left her out in the living room. She then comes running into the bedroom where Daryl's stretched out on the bed, reading, and she's grinning as she waves a piece of paper in her hand. "I'm ready," she announces to him.

"Alrigh'." Daryl slaps the book that Beth has gotten him shut and slides it onto the table next to the bed – face down so Millie doesn't see the cover – and he then sits up, holding his hand out for the paper.

Millie climbs onto the bed to join him and hands him the paper. She sits on her knees, excited and ready.

"How you wan' me to quiz you?" Daryl asks, his eyes scanning down the list.

"Ask me the capitals and I'll name the states. I think it'll be harder that way," Millie decides.

Frank had been sleeping on the bed at Daryl's side and his eyes are open now, but his head remains down, and Millie plays with one of his ears while waiting for Daryl to start asking.

"Carson City."

"Nevada!" Millie exclaims as if this is a game show.

Daryl smiles, but then, as he scans the list again, he begins to frown. "Olympia."

"Washington!"

"It ain't Seattle? And Anchorage ain't-"

"Juneau, Alaska!" Millie cuts in. "Didn' you ever learn state capitals, Uncle Daryl?" She asks, moving off of her knees and settling down on her butt, her legs now straight in front of her.

"If I did, it was a long time ago," Daryl says as he continues looking over the list.

"Uncle Daryl?"

The way she says his name causes Daryl to look at her. She sometimes sounds like that whenever she's nervous or even a little scared and it's usually because she wants to ask something she doesn't know if she should be asking.

Daryl sits up a bit more against the pillow behind him and sets the list down so Millie knows that she has his complete attention and she can ask him what she wants to.

"Did you graduate?" She asks, looking down at her fingers still playing with Frank's ear instead of him.

"Sort of. I got my GED instead of a high school diploma. I had cut out to work and I was workin' more than I was goin' to school."

"Oh," Millie says though he knows she doesn't know what a GED is. "Did my mama graduate?"

"I think she got her GED, too."

"And my daddy?"

"He dropped out of school after the eighth grade. But I know that when he was locked up, he started takin' classes and now, he's got his GED now, too."

Millie finally looks at him again. "And Beth?"

As his and Beth's relationship has continued, Millie has started calling her by her first name more instead of always referring to her as Ms. Greene. Daryl's not sure why, but it usually makes him smile when Millie calls Beth by her name rather than being so proper about it. It's like Beth's part of the Dixon family now.

"She went all the way, I know that," Daryl says and he smiles a little when Millie bursts into a smile.

"I gonna to go all the way, too! I'm gonna graduate from high school and then I'm gonna go see anythin' in the world that I wanna see!"

Daryl smiles a bit wider. "You ain't gonna go to college?"

Millie shakes her head. Jenny had braided her hair into pigtails that morning and the ends of each braid smack her in the cheeks, she's shaking her head so quickly.

"Nope. Daddy says I don't gotta pay people forty-thousand dollars a year to tell me how I should think. I can do that on my own. I've got a library card," Millie informs him and Daryl's just about full-blown grinning now.

It's so amazing to him. Millie's going to be turning seven soon. Merle's been gone for six years of her life and for those six years, their relationship consisted of hour-long visits every other Sunday. But despite all of that, Merle's daughter is just like him. A mini-Merle – God help the world.

He keeps his opinions to himself. He doesn't think one thing or another about college. Never thought anything about it because he knew he wouldn't step foot on any kind of college campus whether he was welcome there or not. College isn't meant for everyone and it's definitely not meant for him; that and he can't imagine spending a small fortune on learning any subject.

But Millie's different. She's the first Dixon who can actually be _accepted_ into college someday if that's what she wants and she better know that he, her mama and her daddy will work their fingers to the bone to pay her tuition.

"Wanna get back to it?" Daryl asks, picking the paper back up. "Dover."

"Delaware!" Millie exclaims.

It takes them just a few minutes to get through all of the state capitals – Millie not missing a single one. Daryl tries to remember what he learned in first grade, but that was so long ago and back then, even at six-years-old, he knew that there wasn't that much worth remembering anyway.

"You're all set for your quiz tomorrow," Daryl tells her, handing her back the paper, and Millie beams. He glances to the clock on the bedside table before looking back to Millie. "You ready to get back home?"

Millie nods and they both get off the bed, heading back into the living room. Frank jumps down and follows after them, waiting at the front door as they put their shoes and jackets on and Millie gathers her school things. It's still pretty amazing to Daryl had good Frank has gotten at having three legs. He can still play with his toys and play fetch and he has no problem jumping all over Beth or him when he sees them after a time spent apart. It's like the dog has had just three legs all along.

Jenny had been working the day shift at the Top Hat and Merle had to stay late at the high school that evening to clean up after a basketball game so after he got off from his own job for the day, it had been Daryl's responsibility to get his niece from the bus stop, feed her dinner and do her homework with her.

And Frank is with them this evening because he's at Daryl's trailer a lot of the time lately.

He hasn't asked Beth to move in with him. Daryl admits that he's a bit too much of a chicken shit to ask her and it's all because he has no idea how she will respond. Daryl isn't the kind of guy who takes too many risks. He admits that. He always likes having a plan; and an exit strategy. He walks into a room and within seconds, he notices everything and everyone. People might call him boring. He goes to work, he comes home, and doesn't do too much in between. Call it boring. Daryl prefers simple and predictable. But with his relationship with Beth, he sometimes has felt like he has no idea what's going on or what the hell he's doing.

And even stranger than that – Daryl seems to be okay with not knowing.

But asking her to move in, that's something _beyond_ just not knowing. He's never asked a girl to live with him before; has never been anywhere close to doing that with anyone. And it's scary to him because he has absolutely no idea how Beth will answer him if he finally gets around to asking her. He has no clue whether she has any desire to live with him or not. He has no clue whether she wants to get married before that. Should he ask her to marry him before he asks her to move in? No, he's not going to do that.

Daryl might not that much when it comes to his relationship with Beth, but he knows they're definitely not _there_ yet. It's too soon. Maybe someday. No, not maybe, Daryl corrects himself. They're getting there. Slowly, but surely. And not even that is freaking him out like he would expect it to. He doesn't know what the hell Beth has done to him, but Daryl's not looking for an exit strategy. It hasn't even crossed his mind to.

"Are you going to marry Beth, Uncle Daryl?" Millie asks as they walk down the road back to her trailer side-by-side; Frank hopping along on the other side of Millie.

And unlike his usual response whenever Millie asks him that question, this time, Daryl finds himself smiling a little and with his hands in his pockets, he just shrugs.

"Don't know," he answers. He just knows that it's not a completely farfetched suggestion anymore.

"Do you love her?" Millie asks, skipping over a bottle someone has pitched on the ground.

"Yeah," Daryl says with the same little smile.

"When she got hurt?" Millie keeps asking. "Is that when you started to love her?"

"Nah. It was before that," Daryl says. When exactly, he has no clue, but Beth getting lost and falling into that hole, and Daryl trying to find her, it just opened his eyes to something that was inside of him already.

"I'm glad," Millie states simply, kicking a cigarette butt in front of her. She then looks at him when she feels his eyes on her. She gives him a smile. "You deserve to be happy, too, Uncle Daryl."

Daryl doesn't say anything to that. Hell, he's pretty sure there's _nothing_ he can say to that. So instead, he puts his arm around her shoulders and hugs her into his side and Millie giggles, kicking the cigarette butt again.

When they reach Merle and Jenny's trailer, Daryl frowns a little, seeing Beth's car parked outside.

Millie doesn't seem to notice and she goes hurrying up the steps and opening the screen door, disappearing inside. Daryl passes the car, looking at it, still frowning from confusion, as he follows after Millie. He holds the door open for Frank to hop inside first and then steps inside, his eyes landing immediately on Jenny and Beth. They are sitting at the kitchen, glasses of some pink drink in front of them, and both have wet eyes.

"Wha's goin' on?" Daryl asks, still frowning.

And despite obviously having just been crying, both women are smiling now.

Beth shakes her head. "Just a little girl talk."

"Hmmmm," Daryl comments, obviously not buying it, but figuring that if they don't want to tell him, they're not going to.

"Would you like some lemonade, Daryl?" Jenny asks, standing up to get him a glass.

Daryl eases himself down in the chair next to Beth at the table. "How was work today?" He asks.

Beth smiles at him and it's the kind of smile that makes him feel like he's just slurped down a bowl of piping-hot soup. He feels warm from the inside out. "Good! I talked to Pastor Douglas about my idea today. He seemed to be just as enthusiastic about it as I am."

"What idea?" Millie asks, sitting in the last chair at the table, on her knees.

"Butt down, Millie," Jenny says with a snap of her fingers and Millie sighs, but does as she's told.

"Well, actually Millie, _you_ gave me the idea. You and your mom," Beth smiles.

"Me?" Millie's eyes widened at that.

"Your love of bumblebees and you and your mom planting flowers for them," Beth says. "I was working on an idea about the church having our very own bumblebee garden. The youth groups would help dig and plant and put it all together and, in the spring, we could have a small bumblebee festival."

"Like the carnival?" Millie asks as Jenny returns to the table, a glass of pink lemonade for Daryl and she sets a small glass of it in front of Millie as well.

"Nothing that big. Just a little festival. Maybe sell some baked goods and crafts," Beth says. "Maybe, next spring, my sister and her boyfriend will have their pizza place open and Give Pizza a Chance can be involved."

"That's really great, Beth," Daryl smiles and she smiles back.

"Still plenty of details to work out, but I definitely think it can be something," she agrees. "How was work for you?" She then asks.

Daryl shrugs. "You blow and suck up leaves and mow grass for seven hours in all of the public properties in town, your brain starts to turn to mush after a while."

"Well, the town looks beautiful," Beth beams at him and Daryl just smirks a little before sitting back in his chair and sipping at his pink lemonade.

They stay for a little bit longer – Millie getting quizzed on her state capitals one more time by all of them – before Daryl, Beth and Frank head out the door. Beth and Jenny hug one another tightly and Daryl hears Jenny whisper "Thank you" into Beth's ear. After everyone says goodnight, they step outside, the door closing behind them. It's dusk now and the trailer park lights have come on, glowing yellow every few feet.

"Are you spendin' the night tonight?" Daryl asks as they stop next to her car and he's scratching the back of his head as if he's nervous though he has no idea why he would be.

"Is that alright?" Beth asks, looking up to him.

"Course it is," Daryl says and plucks the car keys from her hand. "I'll drive us home."

He opens the passenger side door for her and Beth is smiling as she slides down into the seat and then Daryl bends down, hefting Frank up and gently putting him in Beth's lap before closing the door.

Home.

Daryl likes the way that sounds and Beth hadn't drawn attention to it when he had used the word. Maybe she like the way that sounds, too.

"Everythin' okay with you and Jenny?" Daryl can't help himself but ask.

Beth just smiles. "We were just talking. I told her how much I admire her."

Daryl looks at her, not saying anything to that, and Beth smiles.

"Making it all these years with work and Millie and Merle being gone… I've been wanting to tell her that I admire her for a long time now. I don't think I could have done what she did," Beth explains.

Daryl is still looking at her, letting that settle in his mind before he speaks. "Wish you could see yourself the way I see you."

Beth seems to stop breathing for a moment. "How do you see me?" She asks in a whisper.

Daryl doesn't plan on leaving her. He plans on being with her for as long as she wants him and though it will never happen, if he ever _does_ go away like Merle did, Beth will be how she always is. A damn champ.

"Bravest girl I know," he tells her and Beth exhales the breath trapped in her lungs.

In just a few seconds, Daryl has Beth's car parked in front of his own trailer and Frank relieves himself on a bush one more time before they all head inside.

"You hungry?" Daryl asks, already heading into the kitchen. "I was defrostin' some spare deer I have leftover. I can fry it up with some rice." He ate Chef Boyardee ravioli earlier with Millie, but he's hungry again for something a bit more filling.

"That sounds delicious!" Beth calls to him over her shoulder as she heads into the bedroom, her gym bag that she had in the backseat of her car over her shoulder.

Daryl really needs to clear a drawer out for her. There's no way he can ask that girl to move in with him, let alone marry him, if he doesn't even have a drawer cleared out for her.

He gets to work on their dinner and he can hear Beth moving around the bedroom and then in the bathroom and he knows that she's getting herself ready for her bed. He's learned that when Beth gets finished at the church for the night, she likes to get into her pajamas as soon as she can.

Sure enough, when she comes out a few minutes later, her hair is brushed and braided, her face is washed free from all make-up, and she's wearing black gym shorts that go down to her knees and a grey long-sleeve tee-shirt with _White Hill Baptist Church_ printed on it.

"Smells good," Beth comments as she comes to stand behind him, her arms coming around his waist, as he stands at the stove, working on their dinner.

Neither talk while Daryl finishes cooking their dinner and to be honest, it's one of Daryl's favorite things about being with Beth. They don't have to talk all of the time. Sometimes, they can just be together in a room and that's enough for them. Daryl's never thought he would ever be comfortable with another person like this without the tension in his body, trying to anticipate what's coming.

With Beth, he's completely unwound.

Daryl finishes dinner with Beth's arm still around his waist, her cheek between his shoulder blades, and only when he turns the stove off does Beth then move away. She gives his back a kiss through his sweatshirt and then moves to get bowls and forks.

Some nights, they sit at the table in the kitchen. Other nights, they sit on the couch and watch a movie. Tonight, armed with cans of Coke and their bowls of deer and rice, they head into the living room.

"It's my turn!" Beth exclaims happily and then setting her food down on the coffee table, she practically skips to the shelves where they keep their movies.

Daryl had his own collection and then Beth brought hers over so their DVDs are now all mixed together. When she had done it, she explained – as if she needed to explain – that she watches her movies when she's here with Daryl so she should just keep her movies here. So, now, not only does he actually have a copy of _Friday the 13_ _th:_ _Part III_ at his place, but he now has all of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, too.

"I choose… this one!" Beth decides, spinning back towards him with a movie case in her hand. She's smiling and when he sees the original _My Bloody Valentine_ in her hand, he smiles, too.

"Sounds good," he agrees.

Beth gets the movie set up and playing before joining him again on the couch. Daryl is looking at her and Beth looks at him after another minute, her cheeks flushing a light pink when she sees his eyes trained on her.

"What?" She asks shyly.

Daryl shakes his head as if he's not going to say, but then he does. "I'm glad you're spendin' the night," he tells her and his answer makes her smile again.

"Thank you for wanting me to spend the night," Beth says in return. "I know… I know we haven't had sex-"

"Beth," Daryl cuts in. "You don't have to explain anythin' to me. Whether we have sex or not, that's not why I wan' you spendin' the nights with me."

Beth visibly swallows then and Daryl lifts his hand, resting it on her arm, his thumb swiping across the inside of her elbow. And when he touches her gently, she seems to sigh with relief and he wonders what she's been thinking and _why_ she's been thinking it. They haven't had sex again since that first night together and that is something Daryl is definitely following Beth's lead on. Whether she wants it or not, Daryl is leaving it up to her. He's gone years without having sex. He can easily survive without it.

"I… I loved that night with you," Beth says. "I don't want you think that I didn't love it. But, I think I really wanted to sleep with you is because I wanted to remind myself that I'm still alive." She pauses and her eyes drop from him for a moment before looking back to him. "Is that awful of me? I wasn't using you, Daryl-"

"I would never think that 'bout you, Beth," he cuts in again. "And I get it. That night, when I found you…" he trails off, not wanting to talk about it because if he talks about it, he'll have to think about it and he doesn't want to think about it. Sometimes, when he closes his eyes, he can still see Beth, unconscious on the ground, already starting to turn blue. He's never been more scared in his life than he had been in that moment and he _never_ wants to experience anything like that ever again. "I needed my own reminder that you're still here. But honestly, when I wake up in the mornins and you're there, next to me, tha's all I need."

Beth leans in to him and presses her lips to his. "That's all I need, too," she says to him quietly.

That makes Daryl smile and after another moment of looking at one another, their attention returns to the movie for a few minutes. Daryl tosses Frank a piece of the deer and the dog hops up to catch it in the air.

"So, I gotta a question for you," Daryl speaks up and Beth's attention is instantly on him. "Sodom and Gomorrah. What the hell are you havin' me read?" He asks and a laugh bursts from Beth.

"You've started the book," she says, her eyes sparkling.

"Told you I would."

"And you told me you wanted some dark Bible stories," Beth reminds him. "You don't know it, but you'll be glad that the chapter ends with Lot and his daughters escaping the city."

"Not his wife?"

"Ah. You haven't finished the chapter," Beth nods and takes another bite of deer and rice.

"So, his wife doesn' make it?" Daryl guesses. "Guess I should 'ave seen that comin' since the book is called _Not-So-Nice Bible Stories: Gory Deaths._ Well, then, what happens to Lot and his daughters when they go into the desert?" He wonders.

Beth looks at him and a small smile starts to pull at the corners of her mouth. "You really want to know," she says and she states it more than asks it.

"Yeah," Daryl gives a nod, his eyes never leaving hers. "I really wanna know." He leans forward and pauses the movie before turning towards her. "Tell me. Figured if I'm gonna marry you someday, I'm gonna need to know _some_ Bible stories."

Beth stares at him and Daryl, realizing what he's just said, can do nothing except stare back while wondering if he should mentally punch himself. What the hell is with him tonight. First, he called this trailer home for both of them and now, he's let the cat out of the bag by saying the "m" word in front of her.

But, Daryl should have known better.

Like when he said _home_ , and she hadn't said anything about it except smile, that is exactly what Beth does now. She just looks at him and smiles.

"Alright," she agrees. "But just remember that I am officially warning you."

Daryl smiles a little, too. "Your warnin' is noted." He settles back into the couch. "Now, tell me a story."

Beth laughs again before settling in next to him and then, she begins.

The End.

…

* * *

 **Thank you so, so much for reading and sticking with me as I finish another Daryl/Beth story.**


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